Cerberus Reloaded
by 742678261964291
Summary: In an alternate universe, the war with Deepground unfolded quite differently. After tragedy strikes Edge, Vincent seeks answers and justice, but finds himself at the heart of a conspiracy. Meanwhile, a mysterious youth searches for Deepground's leader.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N : This story will probably be pretty long. It's set in a somewhat alternate universe, about two years after Advent Children, but plot-wise, it was pretty much the same until this point with only a few things differing. The Tsviet characters are reimaginings, some with little to do with their canon counter parts. Thoughts will be in italics, except demon thoughts, which will be bolded. POV will be mostly Vincent's, but will alternate with other characters later on. Expect some degree of violence and language throughout. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own final fantasy 7, or the characters and settings that appear in said work.**

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><p><em>We're finally going back… Edge.<em> As Vincent looked around the Canyon, at his friends, the WRO troops, the two siblings, all caught up in what had begun to feel like a never ending fight, he thought back to the events that had led him there… the tragedy, the struggles, the search for the ancient materia… And it had all started so… normally. It had started with something as mundane as a phone call… But on that day in August… everything changed.

Vincent Valentine was in his small apartment in Edge when his phone began ringing. Vincent glanced up from a book he was barely reading and sighed, tossing it onto a low standing table near him. The slightly metallic ring of his phone was mildly irritating. He glanced around for it.

_Phone…phone…where did I put it?_Vincent thought while overturning couch cushions. With the apartment's Spartan décor, the phone shouldn't have been too hard to locate. Another ring caused him to look up, listening for it. _Unlike most phones those days, his sounded normal. It has a proper ring…instead of playing some stupid song._ Vincent was actually a bit happy Yuffie took the time to set it up that way for him, though he didn't want to admit it after what she said.

"See, it's an old-timey sound for an old timer!" she had explained teasingly. That had been nearly two weeks ago. That had been the last time Vincent had spoken to one of his friends.

Vincent finally found the phone sitting atop the television set. It had been a moment too late, it seemed, as the phone had stopped ringing. _Great_… he thought, _now how do I check missed calls again?_

As he searched through phone options, it rang again. _Ah!_ He started. _Huh, close enough._

"Hello?" the other speaker asked before Vincent had a chance to answer.

"Tifa," he replied curtly, wondering what she wanted from him. Had he forgotten something important? …No, that wasn't it.

"Oh hey!" she said warmly, "Barret's in town. He and Reeve are talking in the bar right now." She paused expectantly. Vincent shuffled his feet on the hardwood floor.

"Oh…Well, tell them I say hello, I suppose," he finally said.

"Actually, Reeve said he wanted to talk to you here as well. And while you're here, you can say 'hello' in person."

"I don't know, I was planning on…"

"Sitting in your apartment alone all day?" she asked. Vincent could tell she was joking with him - for some reason she always did - trying to get him to "lighten up", but still, there was a genuine hint of concern in her voice. _Maybe I am too reserved… but that's how I've always been, even in my days as a Turk._**Oh, really? You sure that didn't start after**-_Stop. …That's how I've always been. That won't ever change._

"Just come over - please?" Tifa asked, interrupting Vincent's thoughts. He felt a bit sorry, but he still wasn't sure. _I don't want to get too attached to these people…my friends._**Liar**,said the voice in the back of his head. Vincent ignored it.

"Please, just for a while… We really aren't that bad of company you know. Cid even showered today." _Right back to joking. Why does she joke even when she's being serious? Never mind, Cid is there too?_The pilot was always good for a laugh or two – when Vincent felt like laughing, of course. This wasn't very often. Still, if he visited them all now, it might save him trouble later.

"All right then, I'll be there soon," Vincent said hanging up. He didn't see much of a point for phone "goodbyes" at all. They took far too long, and didn't serve much of a purpose, especially when he would see the recipient later that day. Vincent grabbed Cerberus and his red cloak as he walked out the door.

* * *

><p>The second Seventh Heaven was unusually crowded for the hour. Some of the patrons were bar regulars, others were faces Vincent saw less often. Reeve and Cid both sat at the bar; Reeve was flanked closely by two Turks as usual. After the crisis gripping the planet was over, Reeve had offered all four of them jobs at WRO. It worked well for everyone, they had their careers and Reeve had four highly trained body guards. Upon closer inspection, Vincent saw that the day's protection was provided by Elena and Tseng. Tifa was behind the bar, in the process of getting Cid a beer. Barret was standing across the room leaning on a wall. Marlene happily sat on her father's shoulders. It must have been a while since she had seen him.<p>

It was a while before anyone noticed Vincent. They all went about their business, unaware of him. Barret finally spotted him, and strolled across the bar to greet him.

"Yo Vincent! How are you, man?" He asked pounding on Vincent's shoulder. The blow was forceful enough to make Vincent stagger, but it didn't hurt him. The same couldn't be said for Barret, who was shaking his hand in apparent pain.

"Ow! God, Vince. Why the hell are you so freakin' boney?"

"It's because he never eats!" Tifa said from behind the bar.

"I eat sometimes," Vincent said sheepishly as he stood back up.** Liar**,said the voice again, this time accompanied by another. **I know, right? Ha ha ha! Never eats! Like he's starving…ooh, starving. Sounds like a fun torture. He he he!**The other voice giggled menacingly. _Stop_, Vincent thought back at the two demons, Chaos and Hellmasker. He tried blocking them out, but they could often make themselves heard. At least Galian Beast and Death Gigas tended to stay fairly quiet. There wasn't much Vincent could do to suppress Chaos. That was just something he had to live with, like some sort of sick, twisted conscience.

"Uncle Vincent! Look at the necklace my dad got me!" Marlene held up the gift. It was a silver chain with a pink teardrop shaped pendant.

"Very nice. Did you thank him?" Vincent asked.

"Yeah, I did, Uncle Vincent." Marlene hugged her father's shoulders tighter.

Barret laughed, "'Uncle Vincent'? Is that your name now? Guess it's better than 'Vinnie' hah."

"I've asked Yuffie to stop calling me that," Vincent said, unamused.

"Yuffie doesn't listen very well, does she?" Marlene said. "Sometimes Cloud says she's more of a kid than I am."

Barret laughed again. "Sounds about right, don't you think Reeve, I mean she works for you?"

"Well, she's certainly…energetic. She's good at her job though. I couldn't ask for a better intelligence agent." Reeve walked over to where Vincent, Barret and Marlene stood.

"It's good to see you, Vincent Valentine," Reeve greeted. Reeve extended his left hand to shake Vincent's. _Left hand…why did the guy have to be left handed?_Vincent paused and lifted his own left hand a bit awkwardly, showing off the golden, clawed gauntlet that encased it.

"Oh, right! My apologies," Reeve said, quickly switching hands to shake.

"Not a problem," Vincent said in his low, quiet voice.

"That reminds me…Here catch," Barret said, tossing a black piece of leather through the air. Vincent deftly caught it and held it up. _A glove?_ He thought.

"What is this?" Vincent asked.

"A glove." _Obviously._

"I just figured you could use it to, you know, blend in a bit more if you ever wanted to. I got a right one for my gun arm, but they wouldn't let me buy just one…asses," he explained further.

"Why not just wear it on your other hand?" Reeve asked.

"Don't like the way the fingers feel," Barret replied, laughing.

Vincent slipped the glove on, it was bigger than what he'd normally wear, but it fit over the claw pretty well. He thanked Barret as he slipped the glove into his pocket.

Cloud walked down the stairs that led to his and Tifa's living space. He had the same unnaturally spiky hair as always, and the same unnaturally large fusion swords, First Tsurugi, in his hand. Denzel followed Cloud down the stairs. Vincent noticed he has carrying a metal striking staff. The pair of them glanced up at Vincent when they reached the bottom of the stairs. Each gave Vincent a small nod. It was a mannerism that Vincent and Cloud shared – the nodding. _Denzel must have picked it up from one of us- probably Cloud. The kid pretty much worships Cloud._

"All right. I'm ready," Cloud said.

"Me too!" Denzel grinned.

"Denzel, you're not going… Don't look at me like that. I told you earlier," Tifa scolded. "Go put the staff up, that's for emergencies." Denzel grudgingly walked back upstairs to hide his staff away. Tifa glanced back at Cloud, who was still holding his sword.

"Why do _you_ need the sword, anyway, Cloud?" Tifa asked him.

"Same reason Reeve is bringing Tseng and Elena along. Same reason Vincent's probably got his gun," Cloud explained, placing the sword on his back.

"…You're all paranoid?" Tifa asked.

Cloud smiled and kissed her on the cheek.

"Just in case. You never know what could happen."

"You're just walking around town!" she laughed.

"…We are?" Vincent asked. The rest of the group turned to look at him.

"Must have forgotten to mention…" Reeve said, "is that okay though? We won't be going too far, I just really need to get outside, but haven't had time. So I figured we could walk and talk."

Vincent nodded.

"Well let's mosey, then," Cloud said opening the door.

* * *

><p>Edge was a far cry from the bustling metropolis of Midgar. In truth, it looked more like the slums underneath the plate. Buildings of different sizes and materials stood side by side, they were all new, of course, but some looked worn down already. The towns people had scavenged what they could to rebuild. Life had at least improved since the geostigma outbreak died down. On most days, the sky was clear and somewhat blue, and a few hardy plants grew in places, a sign of life force returning to the area.<p>

Reeve and Barret were locked in a conversation regarding a new energy source.

"Turns out oil is limited, might run out. We need something more permanent. Forces of nature are always gonna be around. If we could harness the sun, we'd have all the power we'd need," Barret said.

"So you told me. Zul and the rest of my engineers haven't quite figured that one out yet, " Reeve replied.

"But when I was out one day it hit me! This leaf blew right in my face!"

"I'm not sure I understand…"

"Wind power! Since there ain't no trees around here, the wind's crazy strong."

"Ah! So simple, yet so clever! I'll have to look into that. Elena, could you take a note of that?"

"Yes sir!" she said eagerly.

"We're body guards, not secretaries," Tseng said, annoyed.

"Oh, right."

Vincent lost track of the conversation. _Why did they bring me along again?_ He wondered. As they walked around the corner, Reeve and Barret finally switched subjects.

"So, you gonna ask Grumpy or what?" Barret said.

Vincent looked up. _Does he mean me? What am I saying, obviously he means me. What did Reeve want to ask anyway? Wait, what was that sound?_

"Did you hear that?" Vincent asked.

"Hear what?" "I didn't." "What did you hear?"

It sounded like it came from the grate beside the curb. Vincent walked over and knelt by it, still facing the rest of the group. Tseng followed, tailed closely be Elena. Then something caught the older Turk's attention. He walked over to a store window, right behind Reeve. His eyes widened as he pressed his ears to the glass.

"Sir! GET DOWN!" Tseng suddenly cried as the street around them exploded. A series of deep "BOOM"s resounded from all sides. Vincent was thrown back from the curb. The last thing he remembered before blacking out was a sharp cry of pain, and several more loud "bang"s.

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><p>Vincent's vision was fuzzy. As he looked around him, he saw a beautiful green field. A tall, ancient tree rose toward the sky, on top of a green hill. All around him were the sounds of life. Whatever this place was, it certainly wasn't Edge. As his vision cleared, he noticed a young woman standing near him. He couldn't make out her features, but she had brown hair and lovely green eyes.<p>

"Lucrecia?" he asked, uncertainly.

"Hmm, not quite," the woman said. "Try again, Vincent?"

"Aerith," he said, "this is a surprise."

"Sorry I'm not what you expected, guess I missed you," Aerith smiled. Vincent tried smiling back, but it came out to be a confused frown.

"So…why?"

"I'm not sure, myself. Maybe I should be asking you."

Vincent shrugged and tentatively asked, "It's because…you have something to tell me? From the lifestream, maybe?" He knew she was able to keep her form within the lifestream, and she had spoken to Cloud once, when he was close to death. Maybe the same thing was happening now. Or maybe he was hallucinating.

"Well…. there was one thing I wanted to say."

Vincent looked at her, expectantly.

"…"

Aerith looked at him sadly, "Same old Vincent, huh."

"…Always," he replied.

She nodded, "I guess you should know, you have a lot ahead of you."

"…Can't you tell me more?"

"Not yet. I'm not even sure what's to come." She crouched down and plucked a flower out of the ground. She stood tiptoe and placed it in Vincent's shirt pocket.

"But know this: People you meet in this ordeal will ask for second chances. Some will seem untrustworthy. Give them the benefit of doubt. You may lose a lot, but know that everything returns from where it came from eventually. You're much stronger than you think you are. Don't blame yourself for what happens. And don't ever give up. " She looked at him seriously.

"…But… Aerith… what does any of that-"

She shook her head. "Not yet. Good luck Vincent."

"Aerith, wait-" The world of grass and sky began to dissolve, as Vincent regained consciousness back in Edge.

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><p>Coming to after a death dealing blow was always disorienting, and always very painful. This time was no exception. Vincent didn't recognize where he was until he realized he was upside down, suspended from a thick metal cord. He rolled his eyes as he tried to untangle himself, but something wasn't right. A pit formed in his stomach. <em>Can't move legs…crap. My spine…<em> He franticly twisted his arms and back until he heard until he, along with a lot of the wire, fell to the ground. He heard a soft "pop", and feeling began to rush back to the lower half of his body. _Huh, didn't know I could heal that. Well that's good; I don't think I'd like wheel chairs._

He sat up, still checking for damage, but most of his wounds seemed to have healed. He slipped through the fallen wire that was still wrapped around him then stood and looked across the street…or at least, what was left of the street. WRO peace-corps were all over the scene, concrete and bricks were strewn around haphazardly, and there was a decent sized hole where the grate was. Vincent's stomach dropped when he saw the bodies on stretchers. He ran over, without a second thought.

"Barret…Elena…" Vincent stammered. Tendrils of green light were enveloping them.

"Hmmph," said a voice behind him, a wizened, elderly man in a white lab coat: a doctor, Vincent presumed," Wasn't us that did that, those two were dead when we got here. Poor sad saps. Never had a chance. Were they friends of yours?"

Vincent nodded, at a loss for words. _How could this have happened? Why? Why these two?_ His eyes began to tear up. _Why?_

A mournful howl started up in the back of Vincent's mind. _Why?_Isn't that obvious? A building fell on them. A sinister laugh started up at Chaos's words. _Stop. STOP!_Why? Chaos mocked. Why? Why? Why?More laughter, more howling… Vincent shut his eyes in frustration.

"Reeve….Cloud…Tseng?" Vincent struggled to get the words out.

"Hmmph?" The doctor looked at him, and checked his clipboard.

"Oh, you must mean them… Reeve is okay for the most part. Which is good; I won't be out of a job. And 'Tseng' – how do you spell his name anyway? I know it's something weird… well, he is alive too…just barely, I wouldn't get my hopes up, he'll probably be joining the other Turk soon enough." What a lovely bedside manner this one has. Chaos growled. And what a lovely trophy his head would be on a bedside table, ha ha ha!Hellmasker laughed. _STOP._

"Cloud… name sounds familiar…" ..._Obviously._ "...we haven't found anyone else yet… so I guess he's what the military types would call 'MIA.' There might not be anything to find, come to think of it. That was quite an explosion."

"No…I can't have lost three friends in a day."

"It seems like you have ...my condolences…" the old man said, insincerely, "by the way did you happen to know the young man across the street? He was dead too – not surprising, fractured bones, broken spine… not that much blood, but obvious trauma. He was all tangled up in wire though. Couldn't move him." The doctor gestured across the street and paused.

"W- Where did he go? …The team must have gotten him free? But where did they…? Wait…just a minute…are you…" The doctor squinted at Vincent through his thick rimmed glasses.

"Don't worry about him. Worry about finding my friend. He's made of stronger stuff than most people - ex SOLDIER- (sort of). He must have survived this! He's been through worse." Vincent said, desperately.

The doctor squinted again, "Well, I'll have someone tell you when the body is found." Vincent clenched his fists. He wasn't one to lose his temper, but after everything that day…After Barret…

_Barret… I'm sorry._

"_Don't blame yourself for what happens." Easy for her to say…_

"Vincent!" A shout from across the street. _Reeve. __His head and arm were bandaged and a thin trickle of blood flowed from a cut on his face. Vincent approached him._

"What happened?" they both asked at once. Both men paused, watching for the other to give some explanation.

"…" _It's no use. He has no clue._Neither do you.

Vincent walked back to where Barret now rested.

"I'm sorry, old friend," Vincent whispered as he closed the fellow gunman's eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I'm just going to point out again that this takes place in an alternate universe. Main plot wise, the two universes are similar, but events from the past and from this point onward may be completely different. Likewise, many minor characters are reimaginings, some with little to do with their cannon counterparts. Be warned.**

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><p>Vincent spent the next month searching for a clue on the explosion. His normally tidy apartment was strewn with notes he had crossed out and photographs he hadn't found anything of value in. The once undecorated walls were plastered in lists, diagrams, receipts, news articles - anything that might help him uncover the truth. He had spent every waking hour - every hour that is, since he'd hardly been sleeping – interrogating and investigating.<p>

Well… almost every hour. It was a few days after the explosion when he had to face something he desperately didn't want to. The funerals. He stirred from a half sleep he'd fallen into, looking up at the digital clock on his wall. _Four hours_. Vincent stood, walking over to the miniscule bathroom in his apartment and twisted the knobs on the shower.

He stood in the steam for a while. He could tell it was too hot, but didn't bother to adjust. It wasn't as though it would burn him anyway. The metal of his gauntlet made an odd clinking noise as water droplets hit it. Vincent briefly entertained the notion of ripping the metal claw off, letting the scalding water burn into the flesh underneath.

In the end, he decided he wasn't quite that masochistic.

He passed by the dingy cracked mirror, trying not to look at the multitude of scars across his body. He glanced back at the clock on his wall. _Three hours_. His wardrobe already consisted of mostly black, but he found a nicer looking suit and pulled it on. It was loose on him, not at all like his leather pants and belts he normally wore. Vincent looked at the suit, wondering if it was good enough. Not for him but…

Barret wouldn't care that he looked absurd. He really wouldn't. Vincent walked back to his bathroom, trying to get a brush through the mess of tangles he called his hair. _Two hours_. He looked over his notes for a moment, but quickly realized he wouldn't be able to think about the mystery at hand when… Vincent turned from his work and walked towards the door. He still holstered Cerberus to his hip… not that it had done anything last time.

Vincent walked to the edge of town. There was a slightly pensive air about Edge, but perhaps that was simply the guilt Vincent felt. '_Don't blame yourself_.' But that was like asking Cid not to smoke. He ignored the passersby as he made his solo journey towards what would become his friend's final resting place.

Tifa glanced up at him. Her eyes seemed at once dull and empty and incredibly pained. Vincent couldn't even imagine what she was going through. He silently looked away from her, away from the two children that held her hands.

"Tifa… are they sure daddy is…?" he heard Marlene's shaky whisper. Vincent could tell she was holding back tears… no. He heard a tear fall onto the ground.

"Tifa," Reeve said, approaching her. His injuries from the explosion hadn't quite mended yet. "I… I'm so sorry, Tifa."

"…Reeve, has there been any word on Cloud yet?" she asked.

Reeve swallowed, looking down. "No."

In the end, it was a ceremony fit for a hero. That was a small comfort. Elena and Barret deserved that much. Especially Barret. "We ask that Mr. Wallace's daughter Marlene steps forward to receive a metal in honor of his bravery." Marlene took it, staring at the cold silver and ribbon that comprised it, as though if she concentrated enough it would make things okay. After a few seconds she burst into sobs, shoulders shaking, tears streaming down her face.

Though it was hard to tell, Vincent was fairly certain he heard the phrase, "Give him back," leave her lips.

"…You too, Vince?" Tifa asked. Vincent, confused for a moment, touched his cheek, finding it was wet.

"…I'm…crying." It sounded idiotic the second he said it. He couldn't care.

A monument, a small one, was erected. A statue of the gunman, looking up as though in hopes of a better tomorrow, graced the Edge cemetery. It was beautiful, but it only served as a reminder that Barret was gone. Now… now he was nothing but a memory.

* * *

><p>Some time after that, Vincent visited Tseng in the hospital. He still hadn't regained consciousness. Many of the doctors were unconvinced that he ever would. Vincent looked over his still form, silently wishing the Turk would open his eyes. After nearly an hour of nothing, Vincent stood and walked towards the hospital door.<p>

"You idiot!" Vincent paused at the shout from the hallway. He looked down it to see the old doctor he recognized from the aftermath of the explosion. Another man in his twenties, tall with ginger hair, held up his hands in defense.

"Father, look. It'll be okay, I'll fix this. Really," the young man said.

"You'll fix it? This can't be fixed. I cannot believe you had the audacity to-" the doctor stopped when he saw Vincent in the doorway. "Forget it. …Gods. Sometime I wonder if you were actually worth keeping alive at all." He walked away, leaving the younger man, for a moment, slack jawed and hurt. His features quickly shifted, eyes narrowing in anger as he glared at Vincent.

"And what are you looking at?" he asked.

"…Nothing. Just leaving," Vincent replied. As he left the room, he noticed something about the man's eyes. They were a bright orange… almost glowing.

* * *

><p>Cloud was still missing. At this point, Reeve told everyone to assume Cloud was dead. Yet, as long as he hadn't been found, there was hope. "<em>Don't give up<em>," Aerith had told Vincent. _Is this what she meant? I need to keep looking for Cloud?_ Either way, Vincent continued his search for answers. He had asked the others to help, but they seemed to think it was a lost cause.

"Cloud is probably still out there. You know how hard he is to kill…"

"Vincent… I don't want to give the kids false hope," Tifa said. Marlene and Denzel were starting to move on by then. It wasn't surprising that Tifa wanted to protect them from further grief, but still, Vincent needed her help if he was ever going to find Cloud and avenge Barret's death.

"What about your hope?" he finally said.

"I don't want to talk about this right now."

Tears had rolled down Tifa's cheeks. Aside from Marlene, the impact of the explosion was probably hardest on her. Yet she was still trying to keep everyone else moving. That was how she had dealt with Aerith's death, too. Keeping the group together kept her together.

After Tifa, Vincent moved to speak with Cid, who was still staying at the Seventh Heaven. He had been given his own room, simply because he seemed incapable of moving. Cid and Barret were a lot alike; it wasn't surprising that they were close. Shera had come to visit a time or two, with no results. Cid just stayed in his room, except to get more cigarettes and beer.

"Cid," Vincent started.

"What? What d'ya want?" Cid's speech was slurred, and he clutched a glass in his hand.

"…"

"You just gonna stand there like a $%&^ing statue? Or are ya askin' me to help you on your damn quest?"

"…Cid, how long have you been drinking?"

"None of your $%^&ing business."

"Don't you even care that Barret's dead?"

"…I don't wanna. That's the point."

Cid would rather search for the bottom of a bottle than for the bottom of the problem. **You did the same thing once, hiding in that stupid coffin.**_I know._**…Hypocrite.**_I'm not saying he's wrong or I'm right, okay?_**Seems like you're in denial, just like Reeve.**_I wish Reeve would at least side with me._

Reeve was, true to Chaos's words, in denial. In his mind, he believed the explosion was the result of a faulty pipe, or power grid problem – something that could be fixed, rather than a threat.

"I already told you, what's important now is finding the source of the explosion," Reeve said.

"That's what_ I_ told _you," _Vincent said cooly.

"Well I've got people looking into it, we'll fix whatever it was." Reeve started to walk away.

"It's not 'whatever' it's 'whoever'," Vincent said. **Or is it 'whomever'? Ha! Or 'whichever?'Ha ha! Or is it**… _Stop._**Or maybe 'whyever?' Hahaha!**_STOP!_**Seriously Hellmasker, shut up. …Oh fine boss. Ha ha.**_Great, so he'll listen to Chaos, but not me? Figures._

"And why do you think that?" Reeve asked.

"Huh?" Vincent forgot he had been talking to Reeve.

"Who would plant a bomb, anyway? Why do you think someone did this?"

"…"

_Why do I think that? Who would plant a bomb in the middle of a city?_**AVALANCH would. In fact, they did, not too long ago, now they're heroes, apparently.**_Not the point. I mean who would try and kill us?_**Lots of people. Sephiroth, anyone with Shinra…hmm probably an inn keeper or two.**_Sephiroth has been dead for years now. Anyone with anything to do with Shinra is dead, imprisoned, or working with WRO. Unless, there is a traitor within WRO? Someone on the inside would know what Reeve was doing, and they might even have access to explosives. But if their aim was to kill Reeve, why haven't they struck again? Are they biding their time?_**What wonderfully slippery logic, Vincent. I'm starting to see how you reasoned that the coffin was a good idea.**_ My logic makes sense!_**Yes…of course it does.**

…_So if this was an inside job, how would I get proof? I'd need something indisputable to change Reeve's mind. But what is the best course of action?_**The best course of action would be to kill everyone at WRO, and then the rest of Edge while you're at it so you can be sure whoever is guilty is dead. But you won't do that, will you? Stupid human that I'm stuck with. Stupid morals…**_It's not just morals, your plan is completely pointless, if I… I'm not having this conversation._

"Exactly, there's no reason to think this was done on purpose, right?" Reeve continued.

"…What? No… no. There are a lot of facts that don't add up to your explanation."

"So, what evidence supports yours?"

Vincent sighed. "I'm working on that."

"Well, good luck, Vincent Valentine," Reeve said. That had been over two weeks before… the last time he'd last seen one of his "friends."

* * *

><p>Cross referencing WRO employees with surveillance photos taken that day was taking up a lot of Vincent's time. Even after two weeks of work, the only matches were a boy with blue hair, an blonde older woman, wearing a violet dress that brought out the purple tones in her eyes, and the old wizened doctor Vincent recognized from after the explosion. <strong>Oh, it's the rude guy! I rather liked him.<strong>_Of course you did._ Three suspects…what would he be able to find out about them?

_I really don't want to do this…_ Vincent thought while dialing the dreaded number. **Then why are you?**Chaos asked. _Because, it's the only way to find anything out about these people… Here it goes…_

"Vinnie! You're actually calling ME for once? How sweet! You finally realize how great I am, right?" _Oh boy…_

"…Hello, Yuffie. There's something I need your help with."

"_YOU_ called _ME_ and you're asking for _MY_ help? This is _crazy_! You don't have a fever or something, right? This is real, right?"

"…"

"So what can I help you with, Vinnie?" she asked, perky and cheerful as ever.

"Information, and possibly spying, if need be."

"Spying huh? I'm pretty good at that you know. All my ninja training really paid off."

"I know that. That's why I'm asking you and not Cid. Could we meet at my apartment, tomorrow at noon, maybe?"

"Noon…Okay! One condition though, we have to get lunch first." **Really?**

"…Really?"

"Yup! You're paying, Vince."

* * *

><p>Vincent selected a small restaurant - The Chocobo Kitchen – as the new meeting place. Chocobos weren't actually on the menu, thankfully. Vincent had never been there before, so he wasn't altogether sure what they served, not that he planned on eating anyway, but the restaurant was far away from the Seventh Heaven. He didn't want to run into Tifa again just yet.<p>

"HEY! VINCE!" Yuffie had just arrived, and was now waving at Vincent from across the room.

Vincent gritted his teeth; it must have looked a bit like a smile, because Yuffie was grinning ear to ear.

"Hiya, Vinnie," the young ninja said as she sat down.

"Didn't I ask you to stop calling me that?" Vincent asked, rolling his eyes.

"Hmmmmmm, maybe. But it's just too fun, Vinnie!" she laughed.

**Ha ha, Vinnie! Vinnie, Vincie, Vinnie, dear. Ha ha ha!**Hellmasker laughed at the nickname.

**Viiiiiinneee?**The deep slow voice of Death Gigas, chimed in as well. Vincent ignored both of them.

He pulled the three photographs out of his pocket.

"What can you tell me about these-"

"Business later! Let's just have lunch first, okay?"

_This is going to be a long afternoon._

* * *

><p>Back at the apartment, Vincent finally got Yuffie to tell him about the three photographs. The Blue-Haired-Youngster was first up.<p>

"Him? Really, you suspect him?" Yuffie said incredulously.

"I suspect anyone who was there that day."

"Well this guy wouldn't hurt a fly. Heck, he's even a vegetarian." She acted like that proved something, somehow.

"So…who is he then?" Vincent asked, still studying the photograph."

Yuffie sighed, "You really won't let any of this go, will you? Not until you're sure."

"…"

"Well the guy's name is Zul, of all things. It might be short for Azul, or something, never asked. I've never talked to him personally, but I hear he's some sort of child prodigy. Thirteen years old, but he's a frickin' genius with computers. He does a lot of programming and data base type work, plus a ton of engineering and inventing stuff. I don't really know the specifics of his job, but I assume if I did, you wouldn't understand, anyway."

"Are you making fun of me again?"

"…No, no, not at all," Yuffie smiled. "Anyway, he might - MIGHT – be able to get his hands on explosives, but honestly, he's just a kid. Just a hardworking little guy, you know? He doesn't really have a motive."

Vincent paced back and forth behind his couch. He held out the second photo, the one of a middle aged woman in a purple dress. Yuffie glanced at it, narrowed her eyes, and plopped onto the sofa.

"This one's a longer story. Want to sit?" Yuffie asked. _Did she just invite me to sit on my couch, in my home?_**Yes, she did**_. I wonder if she's still trying to be funny or if I'm just overanalyzing everything._

"I'll stand thanks," he decided.

"Suit yourself…think you can grab me a drink while you're up?" Yuffie asked.

"You were 'up' just a moment ago," Vincent pointed out.

"Yeah, but now I'm not… Whatcha got to drink?"

Vincent thought for a second. "Water," he said.

"Water? That's it? No soda? No juice? No tea? Forget that then," Yuffie said throwing her arms into the air.

"…So the information…?" Vincent was starting to get impatient.

"I'm too thirsty! You sure you don't have anything else? Maybe you have some ice-cream?"

"Ice-cream is _not_ a drink."

"It is if you let it melt some. And I _know_ you have some left over. I checked the freezer for materia when I got here." _Typical Yuffie_.

Vincent got the last of his ice cream - left over from who knows when – and gave it to Yuffie, along with a spoon. She ate several bites, then glanced up at Vincent.

"Okay, now we can talk about purple lady, "She said.

Vincent sat on the couch to get a better look at the photo. "First thing first; who is she?"

Yuffie looked a bit worried; she bit her lip and asked, "Do you remember Scarlet?

"She was in charge of the weapon division, right?"

"And Tifa got in a _HUGE_ slap fight with her." Yuffie laughed as she remembered.

"Yeah, I remember," Vincent said. The incident in question would have been pretty funny if they hadn't been trying to rescue Tifa from her execution. The others tended to forget that bit though.

"Well, this woman," Yuffie said as seriously as she could, "is her sister."

"Really?" _Now this might be a lead._

"Yeah, and I've run across her a few times. Let me tell you, bitchyness runs in the family," Yuffie said, smirking.

"So, what does she do at WRO?"

"Well, she's actually just a secretary. Reeve didn't want her anywhere near weapons, after what her sister did, you know?"

"Why did he hire her?" Vincent asked.

"Well it wasn't her personality or good looks. I hear it's because of some favor she did, or she's keeping a secret in exchange, or something like that… it's all very hushed up, so it can't be simple."

_What sort of a mess did Reeve get into?_

"Anyway, she knows Reeve's schedule, obviously, so she might be in on the whole bomb thing…if she has an accomplice."

"Hmm…that might be it…so what about this man." He held up the photograph of the old doctor.

Yuffie looked at the photo nearly jumped off the couch.

"Vincent! Do you know who this is?" she asked - eyes wide.

"I know he's a doctor…an inconsiderate one," Vincent replied. He hadn't expected this sort of reaction from Yuffie.

"He… he is a doctor, but that's not… You really don't know?"

"No, I have no idea who this guy is. Could you please tell me?"

"H- His name is Dr. Weiss Tsviet. He… he worked with Hojo, a long time ago. He was his right hand man, really. You don't remember him?"

"No."

"Maybe he started working with him after the whole…" Yuffie made a weird gesture, "the whole…thing… with you…was over."

"…"

"Any way," Yuffie cleared her throat," Dr. Weiss is a nasty piece of work. I heard he had a lot to do with early SOLDIER prototypes – ones that no one heard from afterwards. Some say he does weird experiments on corpses, even today. Like he's trying to revive them or something. Creepy, huh?"

_A revived corpse… more than a bit too familiar for my liking. _"Creepy. So why on earth did Reeve hire this guy?"

"No one knows. I mean, don't get me wrong. The guy knows more about biology than anyone alive, I imagine. He's good, but to say he's shady would be an understatement. No access to explosives, of course. So, does any of that help?"

Vincent sighed, "Not really. I'm right back at where I started. I have no definitive leads."

Yuffie and Vincent sat on the couch for a while. Staring straight ahead and not talking. Each tried to think of somewhere to go with the case, but there weren't many leads.

"We could try following them, finding more about them," Yuffie suggested.

"If any of them had to do with the explosion, they'll be twice as careful now," Vincent said.

"Yeah."

"…"

"…"

(Riiiiiiing!)

"Ah!" Yuffie jumped. Vincent pulled his phone out of his pocket and flipped it open.

"Hello?" he said.

"Who is it?" Yuffie asked. Vincent waved her away.

"Vincent? Oh thank – arhg! Vincent!" It was Reeve, he sounded panicked and out of breath.

"Reeve, what's going on?"

"WRO HQ is being attacked by these… things! We're being over whelmed."

"I'll be right there." Vincent hung up. "Yuffie, come on, we need to go, I think we just found our lead."

"Really? What's happening?" she asked.

"WRO is being attacked. Get Tifa on the phone; see if she and Cid can help. I'm going over to the WRO headquarters now."


	3. Chapter 3

Swarms of mutated monsters were attacking the WRO headquarters. Grotesque reptilian monsters battled with hellhounds, apparently unaware that they were supposed to be on the same side. Security robots and white shirts were doing their best to fight off the fiends, but there were too many. Monsters fighting monsters fighting the WRO white shirts – it was a terrifying sight, but all the confusion would make it easier to enter the building. Vincent gripped Cerberus as he quietly moved closer. With his team, storming the building wouldn't be a problem, but they hadn't showed up.

Vincent ducked behind a statue, readying a shot. The building entrance was just a few more yards away. He was about to make a dash for the building when one of the creatures spotted him. It sprinted towards him and pinned the gun man's arms to the ground.

Vincent stared into the creature's red eyes as he fired a quick shot at its foot. The creature yelped in pain, the shot didn't kill it, but distracted it long enough for Vincent to use a fire materia to finish it off. He ran to the door and tried to pull it open. Locked. Vincent rolled his eyes, shot a hole in the glass and crawled through.

Inside, a few white shirts were fighting off three of the hellhounds that had crawled through a window. Vincent aimed at one and pulled the Cerberus's trigger. The white shirts took care of the other two. With the creatures dead, the white shirts lowered their weapons.

"Where's Reeve?" Vincent asked.

"I-I dunno… I think he's holed up in his office," one of the men said. He had a red hat, a mark of leadership. Vincent began walking towards the elevator when the officer stopped him.

"Wait! Wh- what about us? This is crazy, I can't…I mean, we can't just fight these things off for you forever!" He was shaking. **So much for leadership. **_Give the kid a break_**. ** Vincent looked at the WRO officer.

"You're needed here, stay put and help your squad fight these things, you're their commanding officer."

"I just got promoted last Tuesday! I didn't sign up for this! I can't-"

"Stop your whining and do your job," said one of the white shirts as he shot a reptile that was trying to get through the door. He glanced up at Vincent and said, "Go on, the rest of us can handle these things."

* * *

><p>Vincent stepped into the elevator and selected floor 50, where Reeve's office was. The elevator rose, slowly. <strong>This is dull<strong>. _Dull is fine with me, I'm going for effective, not exciting_. **But this is so…boring, safe, dull. **_What would you have me do? Climb the stairs?_** No, that would be even worse…stupid boring elevators , I wish they would just die. **The elevator shuddered and stopped. **Did I do that? Excellent! Ahem, 'stupid boring Vincent! I wish he would just die!' …Did it work? **_ Does it look like it worked? _

Vincent climbed up to the top of the elevator and popped one of the ceiling tiles up. In the shaft, he looked for the nearest floor; one was a few feet above him. He climbed up and pried the door open with his claw. _Floor 47, close enough. _

Vincent looked around the floor. He saw that computers lined every wall. There were several robot guards sitting around a larger unit in the center of the room. The central computer was being operated by a slight young man with blue hair.

"Zul?" Vincent asked. The boy jumped at Vincent's voice, then after a split second of regaining his composure, he smiled.

"Vincent Valentine, I presume. Nice to finally meet you. My employer thinks quite highly of you." He paced in front of the keyboard looking unnervingly calm. Vincent just stared.

"…I'm working on evacuating the building. If you come with me, I can get you out of here."

"Hah, funny, Mr. Valentine. You think I'm the one who needs rescuing." The boy casually typed on the keyboard.

"The one in danger here isn't me, it's you." With these words, Zul's eyes narrowed, and the dozen or so security-bots' lights flickered on. "All right, ready to go," Zul said, speaking into a radio device. A helicopter lowered from the sky, right outside one of the windows.

"Ah, there's my ride," the boy said, cheerfully clapping his hands.

"What?" Vincent asked.

"A bit slow, aren't you? Maybe this will get the message to you…" he pushed a few more buttons, the robots drew weapons and hovered towards Vincent. As the robots surrounded Vincent, Zul climbed out the window and escaped.

* * *

><p>Vincent alone was no match for the dozen robots that fought him, before he managed to take two of them out, he had been shot, stabbed, and tazed. <em>Not good, Galian Beast, help me out<em>. Vincent shape shifted into the large purple beast. Galian used his claws to tear the robots apart. Any bullets or electricity that touched him only added to his rage and power. He created a ball of energy and sent what was left of the robots into the air. After the robots were defeated, Galian howled triumphantly before shifting back to Vincent.

Vincent ran up the last three flights of stairs. He heard other WRO employees trying to fight other rouge robots, but he didn't have time to help them all. On the 50th floor, just outside Reeve's office, two Turks, Reno and Rude, were trying to keep a large security robot from entering the doors.

Rude's fists and Reno's jolt- stick were slowing the robot's advances, but not stopping it. Vincent fired three shots at it, but it continued on, oblivious to the damage it had received.

"Why won't this thing fricking die?" Reno shouted. He stepped in front of the robot, trying to block its progress. The cybernetic contraption lifted one of its 'arms' and sent a few hundred volts into Reno. The red headed Turk collapsed to the ground. Rude punched to robot a few more times, but to no avail. Vincent fired his gun again, then zapped it with electric materia. The robot shakily opened the door, where Reeve waited. Reeve jumped in front of the robot and smashed the circuits with a crow bar. The robot finally collapsed.

"I'm starting to regret having the engineering division make these things so sturdy," Reeve said, dropping the crow bar. Reno sat up, still dazed. "Did we win?" he asked. Rude helped him stand up.

"So, now what, yo?" Reno asked Reeve and Vincent.

"There's a helicopter on the roof, if we get up there we can escape-"Reeve said.

"What and just freakin' leave everyone here?" Reno asked.

"We don't have a choice," Reeve looked down. They heard a loud crash from downsairs.

"Heh, heh, yeah…let's go," Reno said nervously.

"…I can't just leave everyone here," Vincent said.

"Well, what do you plan on doing then? Fight all the monsters and the robots by yourself?" Reno asked. **Is that an option?** _Not really… __**What if I took over**__?_ _You wouldn't have enough time to fight all of them, besides you don't care about these people, you just want a fight_. **So? Same result either way.** _No, you and I both know that you would just destroy without saving anyone__**.**_** Right, because letting them get killed by robots is better. You're just afraid of me. **

"Are you alright Vincent? You're just standing there," Reeve said. Vincent glanced up. Reno, Rude and Reeve were all staring at him. **Guess you better hurry and make your choice. Are you going to leave everyone here and escape? Stay and try to be the hero? But you aren't the hero type, are you Vincent? Guess you're too much like me**_. I'm not like you._** Right, right, of course you aren't. **_I'm not._

"Uh, Vince?" Reno asked, hesitantly.

"Fine. Let's go then," Vincent said, throwing his arms up. **Coward.**

* * *

><p>Reno piloted the helicopter off of the roof. Vincent looked at the ground below. The battle was still raging, but the WRO troops were being pushed further back. With the robots in the building, they'd be fighting on all sides. Vincent noticed that another group of soldiers were arriving on the scene via tank-like vehicles.<p>

"Who the hell are they?" Reno asked looking down.

"Pay attention to your flying!" Reeve shouted as the helicopter nearly drifted into a neighboring skyscraper.

"You don't know who they are? I thought they were reinforcements," Vincent said.

"They aren't... ours." Reeve was biting his lip and sweating. He and Vincent watched the battle below as they flew away.

(Riiiinnnggg!) Vincent flipped the phone open.

"_Vince! We've got a problem here!_" It was Yuffie.

"What's wrong?" Vincent asked. **I'll give you three guesses…**

"_We're under attack! I'm fighting them off, but there's so many- ah! Take that!_" **…Under attack, along with everyone else?** **Who would have guessed.** _Quiet!_

"Are you still at the Seventh Heaven?" Vincent asked.

"_Yeah… um, can you hurry? Please? Ah! Tifa, watch out!_"

"I'll be there soon, hang in there. Reno, get this thing to the Seventh Heaven."

Reno struggled with the controls, shifting the direction toward Edge.

"How long until we get there?" Vincent asked.

"I dunno, ten minutes or so?" Reno said, turning around to look at Vincent.

"Pay attention!" Reeve shouted again.

"Sorry! Sorry!" Reno said back.

_Ten minutes. There's nothing I can do for ten minute… I feel so powerless._ **Ah, so you're going to brood! How interesting.** _I am not brooding, I'm just thinking._ **Who said anything about brooding?** _You did, just…why? Why do you have so much fun messing with me?_ **I've got nothing else to do. I'm stuck in your head, remember? Besides, you make it way too easy. **_I'm not speaking to you. _**You aren't **_**technically**_** speaking now… **_Just shut up._

"Uh, Vincent? Why are you doing that?" Reeve asked.

"Doing what?"

"Making faces, and rolling your eyes every now and then. You do that sometimes, when you're not talking."

"…I don't make faces," Vincent said awkwardly.

"You make faces, man," Reno said glancing back again.

"Pay attention!" Reeve and Rude both shouted.

* * *

><p>They sat in silence as the helicopter grew closer to the Seventh Heaven. Vincent glanced down at the bar. The same mysterious group of soldiers were attacking. Yuffie, Cid, and Tifa were fighting them off. Another tank was approaching, sure to be full of more foes.<p>

"I'm going down there. Can you get the helicopter over the roof?

"Uh… yeah, yeah, I can…" Reno didn't sound very sure.

Vincent unrolled the ladder. He slid down the stairs, then jumped the rest of the way down. He hit the pavement hard, but stood up quickly and moved towards the bar. Backing up to where Tifa and Cid stood, he took a few shots at the enemy soldiers.

"Save your bullets, we can take care of these," Cid said. He looked pale and tired. Vincent glanced at Tifa.

"Vincent, can you get Denzel and Marlene out of here? We'll fight these guys off until they're safe."

Vincent nodded, "They're inside?"

"Yeah," Tifa said as she used an ice materia to freeze one of the advancing troops.

* * *

><p>"Marlene! Denzel!" Vincent looked around the bar, trying to find the two kids.<p>

"Marlene! Denzel!" he shouted again. _Where are they?_

"Uncle Vincent!" _Marlene! _The voice had come from upstairs. Vincent ran up the stairs to find Marlene hiding behind a couch while Denzel did his best to fight one of the hellhounds. He struck the beast with his staff several times. It reached its claw forward and slashed at Denzel's leg.

"Ack!" Denzel fell to one knee. The hound continued to approach him.

_No!_ Vincent fired at the beast's hindquarters, farthest away from Denzel as he could. The beast staggered backwards. Denzel took advantage of the opportunity and hit the hellhound again with his staff, this time squarely in the head. It collapsed to the ground.

"I…killed…it…" Denzel said panting and leaning on the staff for support. Vincent walked over to him.

"Are you okay?" he asked, looking at Denzel's leg wound.

"I- I think." Denzel was shaken, but he seemed all right to move. He and Vincent walked behind the couch to talk to Marlene. The young girl was curled up and shaking with fear.

"Marlene, it's okay, it's gone, don't cry," Denzel said, "Me and Vince took care of that ugly thing, its allright." He sounded like an older brother; he probably was the closest thing Marlene had to one.

Marlene looked up at the two. Her eyes were red and puffy.

"You came back, Uncle Vincent. I was worried you'd never come back." She sniffed and stood up.

"I'm sorry, Come on, we need to get up to the roof. We're going to get out of here."

"We're leaving? Where are we going?" she asked.

"I don't know yet, but we need to get out of here, now." Vincent said.

"I need to get something first," she ran to the next room and came out holding her necklace and medal. Vincent looked at her sadly; most kids would have found a toy or doll, but those two things were all she had of her father's**. Stop getting all mushy**. _Right ,I need to get them to the roof._

"Okay, Denzel, do you know if there's a ladder or something leading to the roof?"

"Um… yeah, there's one leading up behind that door." He pointed to a door down the hall.

Vincent walked over and tried to turn the handle. It wouldn't budge.

"Tifa keeps it locked," Denzel said.

Vincent sighed ,"Okay, don't try copying this." Vincent took a few steps backwards and slammed into the door with his right shoulder. He fell forward, along with the door. He stood up and shook his arm.

"Wow," Denzel said, apparently impressed.

"I'm going to go up first and make sure there aren't any surprises up there. Follow when I call, understand?"

"Um, okay." Denzel stood next to Marlene. They waited as Vincent climbed up and looked around.

"Marlene, Denzel!" Vincent called.

"That's our cue," Marlene said, she quickly climbed the ladder. Denzel waited for her to get to the top, then followed. The chopper's blades blew their hair back. Vincent walked to the ladder and signaled for them to climb up.

"What about you!" Denzel shouted, he could barely hear himself over the helicopter.

"I'll be right back." Vincent shouted back.

* * *

><p>He walked to the ladder and slid down, back into the building. He made his way downstairs and out the door. Outside, the three others were still struggling against the enemy soldiers. Cid looked over.<p>

"Kids safe?" he asked, stabbing with his spear.

"Yeah," Vincent said shooting at another hellhound.

"I can hold them off while you head up to the helicopter," Vincent said.

"Hah, how many people there gonna be in the chopper?"

"…er…nine?"

"Cozy. Tifa! Yuffie! Let's go!" Cid shouted. The three of them fell back. Vincent used the fire materia to create a wall of fire, separating himself from the enemies. The wall stopped many of the humans, though the monster ran right through. Vincent tried pulling the trigger of his gun. *click *click

**Think you're out of bullets. ** Vincent clenched his teeth in frustration, then used his claw and fist to fight the monsters. **You've probably stalled them enough**. Vincent ducked into the building, the monsters following him closely. He ran up the stairs and ladder. He gripped the helicopter's ladder, and shouted at Reeve.

"Pull up! Let's go!" Vincent shouted glancing at the monsters that were getting closer.

The helicopter pulled away from the rooftop. Vincent sent a few more bursts of fire at the monsters below before climbing up. Cid gripped his arm and pulled him into the helicopter. Vincent glanced around for a place to sit. There didn't seem to be any room left over.

"Whoa, can this thing even hold that many people?" Reno asked, looking back again.

"Pay attention!" Reeve snapped testily.

"Who taught this guy how to #$%ing fly, anyway?" Cid asked.

"Geez, you wanna pilot instead, old man?

"I'm not even that old," Cid protested, "and yeah, I wouldn't mind flyin'."

"So, um where are we going?" Reno asked, keeping his eyes ahead of him this time.

Everyone was quiet. Finally Yuffie turned to Vincent.

"Where are we going, Vinnie?" she asked. _Why is she asking me?_

"… Where _are_ we going?" Vincent asked Reeve.

"…"

"So, we're cramped into a helicopter, the cities been over run, we have no idea what's going on, and no plan?" Yuffie asked.

_Sounds about right… _

Reno stared ahead as he piloted the helicopter in no particular direction, but away from Edge.


	4. Chapter 4

The group eventually decided to head towards Kalm. It was the closest town to Edge, and they could refuel, and sleep a few hours before deciding what to do next. Vincent, however didn't plan on sleeping. He needed to find out who the enemy soldiers were, and he had a good idea of who he should ask.

As they approached Kalm, Yuffie noticed that Denzel's leg was bleeding.

"Whoa, are you allright?" she asked.

"…It's nothing, really." Denzel tried covering the wound he received from the hellhound.

"When did that happen?" Tifa asked.

"Don't worry about that, here, I've got a restore materia, not very high leveled, but it should do the trick." Yuffie pulled the materia out of her bag and attached it to her shuriken. She channeled the magic through her weapon, healing Denzel's leg.

"Thanks," Denzel said.

"No problem. Hey Reno? Are we there yet?"

Reno turned around, "Yeah, we're jus-"

"Turn around and pay attention," Reeve snapped.

"Sorry, thought you were asleep," Reno said looking annoyed, there wasn't even anything to run into out here.

Vincent looked over at Reeve. He was still clutching his oversized briefcase, like some sort of security blanket. _He knows more about what's going on then he's telling us._ ** And how exactly do you know this?** Chaos sounded bored. _It's just an instinct._ **Because instinct is so informative, just look at Galian, he's the epitome of knowledge. **Vincent wondered if all ancient beings of destruction were so sarcastic.

Kalm was peaceful when they arrived. The sun was rising, and the town was just starting to wake up. Reno and Rude went to refuel the helicopter, and Reeve rented several rooms at the inn. Tifa, Yuffie, Cid, and the two kids all happily fell into beds. Vincent approached Reeve.

"You should get some sleep, Vincent," Reeve said. Reeve himself looked exhausted, but Vincent needed to ask him what was going on.

"Reeve, who were those other soldiers? Did they have anything to do with the explosion?" Vincent asked.

"…Let me and the others sleep for a while, I'll explain in a few hours. In the meantime, watch one of the televisions, see if anything comes up." Reeve walked to his inn room and shut the door.

Vincent sighed and sat in front of a TV. He flipped it onto the twenty four hour news network, a stand-by sign was all that was on. He flipped to other channels, stand-by signs on every single one. The world had gone silent. Vincent decided to leave the television on, but closed his eyes, just to take a brief nap.

* * *

><p>Vincent dreamed he was sitting in an oak tree with Lucrecia. He smiled at her, and reached his hand out to hold hers. He noticed he was wearing his old Turk uniform. This was before Hojo killed him. Before he was changed into a half-alive demon man. No claw, no cape, no voices. He sighed peacefully, then looked over at Lucrecia, she was turned away from him.<p>

"_Lucrecia?" _ His voice sounded distant. Lucrecia turned to face him, but it wasn't her face. It was Hojo's. Vincent jumped and fell out of the tree. The ground beneath him disappeared, and he fell further and further. As he fell, Hojo's face only seemed to grow larger, until it was the only thing Vincent could see. Then the face morphed, the features became more wrinkled, and his hair became white. _Dr. Weiss?_

Vincent finally hit the ground, now wearing his red cloak. The cape seemed to rise up on its own. It wrapped around Vincent's shoulder, shaking him.

"Vincent! C'mon, wake up! " the cloak said. _Wait…what?_

* * *

><p>"Vince! Wake up!" Reno shouted. Vincent blinked his eyes open, the real world washing all but the vaguest memory of his dream away.<p>

"Are you seeing this?" Reno asked. Vincent looked around sleepily; the two Turks had decided to sit on either side of him and were now staring at the television. On the TV, a woman in a purple dress spoke.

"The city of Edge is now under control of Deepground. All Edge citizens must allow and aid all Deepground activities, including, but not limited to allowing free boarding, and donating supplies. All rebels shall be arrested on the spot. Resistance is futile." The woman smiled, "That is all. Have a nice morning, Edge." **Wasn't that the woman Yuffie told you about?** _I think so_. Then Vincent remembered how the blue haired boy had turned all the robots aggressive. _Are they both part of this "Deepground"?_

"That fricken' secretary, Violet took over the city? You've gotta be kidding me!" Reno said.

"Not Violet, Deepground," Rude corrected.

"She's the one on TV though! What the hell? She's obviously working with them! I just - I – I… What the hell?" Reno looked utterly confused. There were dark circles under his eyes from the night of flying.

The TV went back to a Stand-By screen. The three stared at it. Reno finally broke the silence.

"Where's Reeve? I think I heard him mention something about this "Deepground" business before."

"He said he'd explain once he had slept a few hours." Vincent said.

"How long ago was that?" Reno asked.

"…Two and half hours ago…maybe three?" Vincent guessed.

"Three's a few. Let's go."

Reno barged into Reeve's room. Reeve was already sitting up. He looked a bit less tired now, though Vincent imagined he would feel worse under Reno's fire of questions

"Don't you knock?" Reeve asked. Reno walked over to the door and sarcastically tapped it with his knuckles a few times.

"Your fricking secretary just declared herself overlord of the city." Reno said. **…She did?** _Not really_. **Weird guy.** **Must be suffering from sleep deprivation. **

"She said Deepground was controlling Edge, not her," Reeve said.

"Ahah! So you do know about all this weird crap!" Reno said triumphantly.

"…Some of it, yes." Reeve looked guilty, "Why don't you go get the others, I'll explain what's going on."

* * *

><p>Everyone in the room looked and felt drowsy. Marlene leaned on Tifa's shoulder; the little girl's eyes kept closing half way. Denzel sat next to her, working to appear fully awake. Yuffie and Cid both yawned constantly. Reno stared at Reeve, still confused and droopy eyed. Rude and Vincent both sat quietly against a wall; Vincent wondered if Rude was actually sleeping, since he couldn't see his eyes through his sunglasses. Reeve eyed all of them and cleared his throat nervously. He began to speak.<p>

"I guess, everyone is wondering what's going on here?" he began. Vincent glanced up.

"As some of you have already heard, Deepground has taken over Edge," he continued.

"What's 'Deepground'?" Denzel asked.

"It was an experimental division of S.O.L.D.I.E.R.-people with enhanced powers through mako exposure, at least, that's how it started. Shinra eventually wanted to replace S.O.L.D.I.E.R. with them. But, something went wrong, they all disappeared one night."

"What happened to them?" Tifa asked.

"No one knows," Reeve said, " in fact, I didn't know about any of this until recently. Until one of them contacted me… a man named Argento. He said that he was looking for something…some sort of unique materia… He told me I had a week to deliver it to the ruins of the old Shinra building. Or he would take it by force." Reeve stared at his feet. "I-I had never heard of them, or the materia before, so I tried to negotiate. I sent Cait Sith into Midgar, but when he came out… " he glanced over at his briefcase, now open and containing a damaged cat-like robot.

"Poor Cait," Marlene said.

"I tried negotiating, but… Then they attacked WRO, I had no idea that they had so many foot soldiers," Reeve continued.

"I thought you said in the helicopter that you didn't know who the soldiers were," Vincent said.

"I said that they weren't ours."

"This isn't too bad, I say we take the Shera and bomb the bastards until they go back where they came from," Cid said.

"It's not that simple. They have the whole city under siege," Reeve said.

Cid grunted, and sat back down.

"What if we gave them the materia that they're looking for?" Marlene asked.

"We can't just negotiate with terrorists," Reeve explained.

"Especially not give them super rare materia! It could be priceless!" Yuffie said.

"Well I don't know where it is, so it's kind of a moot point," Reeve said.

Yuffie sat for a moment, thinking, then stood and said, "Well, why don't we find it then?"

"Wha-?" Reno looked at her. "Are you crazy, he just said he didn't know where it is, and we aren't giving it to Deepground."

"But just think about it! This is materia so rare and powerful that these people came out of nowhere just to get it! If we had it, we'd have like a huge advantage! Anyway, anything worth finding leaves a trail. We found the black materia - we could find this materia too, I bet."

"It might actually be worth a shot," Tifa said.

"Having the materia could give us an advantage," Reeve agreed.

"So! All in favor of my brilliantly awesome idea?"

A few hands raised… not a majority though.

"Oh! Come! On! I guess the rest of you have some other idea?" Yuffie said. _Not really…_

_Could this materia give us an advantage? Anything is worth a shot at this point._

"It'll give us something to work on until we find another lead. This is just about all we have to investigate." Vincent said.

"We still need to look into Deepground, the more we know about the enemy, the better," Reeve pointed out.

Cid looked at all of them, "We can use Shera, she's in rocket town… getting around would be easier."

Reeve nodded. "Now we have a plan, sort of. But before Rocket Town, we should stop in Junon, and Nibelheim. A ton of the records involving projects like Deepground are stored there."

"And we might even find what this materia is… wait, what was it called again?" Yuffie asked.

Reeve said, "Proto-materia. I'm just afraid that if Deepground wants it, it can't do anything good."

"So, next stop – Junon?" Reno asked.

"Yes, does the helicopter even have enough fuel to get there?"

"I- um, I think?"

"Judging by the model, it can get us there. But that kid sure as hell isn't flying us to Junon," Cid said, looking at Reno.

"Hey! I can fly just fine!" Cid glared at him, " … actually, yeah, fly all you want, pops."

Cid smiled, the first time he had since the explosion, and said "Well, then. Next stop: Junon."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N : Hey guys, sorry for the slight delay! School started back up so I didn't have much time to work on this during the week. Honestly though, five chapters in two weeks? I'd say that's pretty good. Anyway, please review! I'd love to hear feedback.**

Before departing Kalm, Vincent made sure to buy more ammunition – just in case. Theoretically, they would arrive in Junon later that afternoon with no major problems, but it seemed like the group's plans weren't working out lately. After loading his gun, Vincent saw Cid examining the helicopter.

"She's nice, huh Vince?" the pilot asked.

"Hm." The helicopter wasn't really "nice" at all. It seemed as though Reeve had picked the oldest and most worn down one out of all the Shinra models left. ** At least it's roomy…until you shove nine humans into it. **_Oh, thanks. I just remembered I was going to ask Cid if I could sit up front today._** Eh? I hope you don't think I was purposefully reminding you – I wasn't. **_Yeah, I know._

"Well she's pretty sturdy, considering who piloted last night," Vincent remarked. Reno poked his head out from the helicopter looking cross. _Oops…didn't realize he was sleeping in there._

Cid just laughed ,"No shit. Who taught Reno how to fly anyway?" Reno rolled his eyes and ducked back inside the cargo space.

"Anyway," Vincent continued, "do you think I could co-pilot today?"

"That depends," Cid said,"Are you actually going to help, or are you just sick of the damn crowd?"

"…er…"

"I'm just kiddin', you can ride co-pilot if you want- it's not like I'm gonna crash this thing."

"Oh, thanks." Vincent said awkwardly.

Vincent helped pack the rest of their meager stash of supplies. Then they set off for Junon.

* * *

><p>Cid talked most of the flight. He told Vincent about his true love - Shera, and the other Shera – his wife, Chocobo bets he'd won, ones he'd lost, and how much he missed flying.<p>

"I think I musta been a bird- in a past life, I mean," he said. Vincent nodded.

"Speakin' of birds, I'll stop over at Fort Condor so everyone can stretch their legs a bit."

* * *

><p>Vincent decided to go for a short walk before they were due to start flying again. When he got back, Denzel was sitting in his seat, talking to Cid. Vincent cleared his throat.<p>

"Oh…um, hi, Mr. Valentine," Denzel said.

"Denzel, you're in my seat." Vincent said.

"Oh… I, um… I'll just… I'll just move then," Denzel replied.

"Hey, Denzel, you said you wanted to see how the controls work!" Cid said, looking annoyed.

"I – um… I'll see- just, you know… later-"

"What, 'cause some #$%^ing vampire told you to scoot?"

"Cid, please don't cuss in front of the kids," Tifa said, passing the helicopter.

Denzel looked down at his feet.

"Can I sit up here with you, Mr. Valentine?" he finally said.

"…Fine."

"What? Really?" Denzel asked.

"Yeah, its fine." _The kid probably won't take up much room anyway_. **I have to sit next to that? Uhg, I hate children… they're sooooo… cute.**

"Wow, thank you, Mr. Valentine! Marlene always said you were alright, but I…" he stopped, looking embarrassed.

"Not a problem."

* * *

><p>"So that's how you move it up and down?"<p>

"Yep, wanna try?"

"C-Can I? That would be really cool!"

"Here just hold this, nice and easy… Look, Vince, the kid's a #$%ing natural."

Vincent looked up at Denzel who was grinning ear to ear, flying the helicopter…at least, he seemed to think he was flying it, despite Cid's firm grip on his arm.

"Nice." Vincent said, looking back out the window.

"Hey, Denzel, did you know Yuffie used to get air sick?" Cid asked, a mischievous glint in his steely blue eyes.

"She did?" Denzel asked.

"Yeah, think we can get her to throw up?"

Denzel grinned, "We can try."

"Alright, just move this up, and down, and up…"

"What are you doing, Cid?" Tifa asked from the back.

"Uck, stop!" Yuffie yelled.

Cid looked over at Denzel, "Don't stop."

"Cid! I'm gonna – uhg… "

Cid and Denzel both laughed, then Cid straitened the helicopter back out. Yuffie took a minute, but manage to regain her composure. Reno looked up at the rest of the group, then at Cid.

"And he whines about **my** flying!" Reno complained.

* * *

><p>They arrived in Junon a bit ahead of schedule. They had unloaded their things into a house one of Reeve's contacts had loaned them. It was quite nice… and Reeve gave them all a bit of money to get new traveling clothes as well. They even got discounts – with all of his connections, having Reeve as a friend seemed to have a lot of perks.<p>

Afterwards Reeve decided to get right to work, going through old data bases. The data library was on the top floor of the Central Junon Skyscraper, Reeve seemed to like the building, it had a good view of the ocean. He asked the two Turks, Cid, Tifa, and Yuffie to help research. Vincent looked at the computers uneasily.

"Doesn't anyone use files anymore?" Vincent asked Yuffie.

"Not really," Yuffie responded.

"…Great…"

"You should really learn more about technology, Vinnie." Yuffie teased.

"Don't call me 'Vinnie', I've told you that a hundred times," Vincent said.

"He He… Sorry… Vinnie!" the ninja ran off towards one of the computer. Vincent rolled his eyes and walked up to the roof.

* * *

><p>He sat up on the rooftop ledge for some time, looking out towards the ocean. The sun was getting ready to set. It made both the ocean and sky glow orange. The sun was fading into a deep red, nearly the same color as Vincent's eyes. Below him, the only sounds were of the city streets. People passed below, parents carrying children, men and women jogging, cars, people everywhere going about their evening routine. A young couple argued over dinner plans. A boy in a black hat stared intently at the Skyscraper before walking off. <em>This place has changed so much in the last three decades.<em> Before the rapid industrialization brought about by Shinra, Junon had been just another port town. Thirty years and it was a sprawling polluted city, nearly rivaling Midgar. The citys and the computers always reminded Vincent of his age. No, it wasn't so much his age as his… out of placeness. _I stick out, no matter what. I'm out of time, out of place, and it'll only get worse in the future… _Suddenly Vincent heard footsteps behind him. He glanced back – it was Marlene.

"Hey, Uncle Vincent," she said.

"Marlene? What are you doing up here?"

She shuffled her boots and said, " Well, the others said I was playing too loud… they told me to come hang out with you."

**Stupid brat.** _Shut up! She's a sweet kid._ **Oh, did I hit a nerve Vincent?** _No… _**Sounded like I did.**

"So um, what are you doing?" Marlene asked, sitting down next to him.

"Oh, not much- just thinking."

"About what?" She looked up at him with her wide brown eyes.

"…"

"You weren't actually thinking much, were you?" she asked.

"No, no I was, just about a lot of stuff…you wouldn't understand most of it anyway." He said.

"That's what people always say! Like I'm too dumb to understand any of it. I mean, I wasn't born last night."

_Well you are seven years old…_

"That's why they kicked me out, I was asking too many questions…" she continued.

"I thought you were playing too loudly?"

"Well, yeah, that too." She kicked her legs in front of her.

The two of them looked out at the ocean, the sun was closer to setting.

"I just with they'd treat me more like an older kid sometimes," Marlene said.

"You have plenty of time for that later." Vincent said. He envied her youth.

Marlene looked angry, "How do you know?" she asked. "I might – I might…"

"Might… what?" Vincent asked.

"…Die…What if I died? Then I'd never get to be treated like a grown up." She looked nervous. _Marlene… with everything going on, I guess being afraid is expected… me and you have opposite problems, don't we…_

"I won't let anything happen to you." Vincent said.

"Tifa told me once that sometimes you don't expect death… I mean no one expected my… my dad to…"

Tears trickled from her eyes. Vincent looked down at the city again. _Marlene… I wish I could spare you your pain_… _No one deserves to lose their father at such a young age._

_I wish I could have saved him… Barret… I'm sorry. I'm sorry…_

"I'm so sorry," he said out loud.

"It wasn't your fault," the young girl hiccupped.

They sat, watching the sun set.

* * *

><p>"Is it true that there's a green flash when the sun sinks into the water?" Marlene asked, still shaking.<p>

"Sometimes, yes." Vincent replied.

She stood, looking towards the ocean, "Dad always told me that the green flash is the life stream. And when you see it, all the people who you've lost can see you too."

Tears were still flowing down her cheeks, but she was smiling, just a bit.

"I want him to see me smile. That way he'll know I'll be okay," she said.

"I think he'd like that," Vincent said.

**She knows that's a myth right**_? I'm not going to tell her that._** Of course…**

"You should smile too, Dad always worried about you, Same as Cloud and Tifa."

_Did everyone worry about me? Never mind that…_

"Smile? Like this?" Vincent twisted his lips into a goofy grin.

Marlene giggled and grinned along with him as a green flash filled the sky.

* * *

><p>"Do you think Dad saw?"<p>

"...Yes."

"He probably thought you looked silly, Uncle Vincent."

"Yeah, just don't tell anyone I was grinning like that."

"Okay."

Electric lights flickered on. The two looked up, then down as the city lights poked holes in the darkness. The lights, reflected on the water's surface looked almost like stars. But there were no stars in the night sky… just a lonely crescent moon.

"Maybe we should get inside." Vincent suggested.

"My bed time isn't for another hour. Besides, I wanna look at the city more, its pretty.

"Fine… We're going in in a few minutes though."

"Yeah, I know," she pouted.

"You look like Yuffie when you make that face," Vincent said dryly.

"Cid says she's more immature than I am…Oh! That reminds me, Cid said he found something mentioning Chaos."

**Really? And what delightful information did they find on me?** _Huh…_ Vincent rested his clawed hand on his right arm. _I'll have to ask him about that._

"What is 'Chaos' anyway? I know the word means disorder, but the way Cid said it, it sounded like something more. Like it's a person or something…"

"He's …er…" _How do you explain that sort of thing to a kid?_

"He's sort of like… my imaginary friend," Vincent finally said.

**I am?**

"He is?"

"Well, not my 'friend' exactly." **Oh, thanks**.

"What's he like?" Marlene asked.

Vincent thought ,"Oh, he's ugly, and kind of a jerk."

"Ow!" Vincent's claw hand suddenly tightened around his arm, cutting through his sleeve and skin.

"What happened?" Marlene asked, staring as Vincent pried the claw out of his arm.

"My hand just…"

He watched his arm as the five little cuts disappeared, leaving only drops of blood. Marlene watched as well. She glanced up at Vincent.

"How come you can do that anyway?" She asked.

"What, heal?" She nodded.

"That's just my … superpower."

"Superpower?" she asked.

"Yeah, everyone has one. For example, Yuffie has an extra sense that lets her find materia... and ice cream," he joked.

"I wish I could do that," Marlene said.

"Come on, let's let Cid see if I broke my hand.

"It hasn't been that long though."

"Maybe Denzel will have a chance to play with you."

"Hmm, Okay, then," she said as they walked back inside.

* * *

><p>Down below the building, a boy wearing a black hat stared up at the lights above.<p> 


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N : Remember to review! ...Please? If I get any reviews on this Chapter, I'll post another one on Monday. How's that sound? Good? Good.**

* * *

><p>The boy in the black hat looked up at the Junon Central Skyscraper with disdain. <em>How can people stand to be so high up? <em>He wondered what the two people were doing, sitting up on the rooftop, legs dangling through the rails. There had to be something wrong with them… something wrong with him? _What am I doing… if they fall, they fall. I don't care_. He moved about his business, walking along the street_. I have more important things to do. Worrying about a pair of morons on a skyscraper isn't going to get me anywhere._

As he approached his destination, he self consciously pulled his hat further down. If he lowered it any more, it would have covered his green eyes. Not that he'd particularly mind, if only he could see like that. He looked back at the building… just a bar, nondescript, it blended into the surroundings quite well. He paused at the door, taking time to straighten up and puff out his chest, trying to make himself look taller and larger. Presentation was key. If he did just a few things, combined with his naturally tall height, he could pass as an older teen… presentation was key.

Drawing himself up even taller, he opened the door. The bar was empty, sans one patron, and two barkeeps, one young and one old…possibly father and son. They looked enough alike to be father and son at any rate, though the younger man's blonde hair contrasted sharply to his elder's brunette hair. The boy in the black hat half walked, half marched up to the bar and sat at one of the stools. The younger man looked at him incredulously.

"No kids," he said firmly, motioning at the door. The boy didn't look at him, instead keeping his eyes down, staring at the bar counter.

"Give me water and lime," the boy said, deepening his voice a bit from his usual tone. He continued to study the counter top, not looking at the man in front of him. In his peripheral vision, he noticed the older man perk up at his order. The son(?) looked at him crossly.

"I said, 'no kids', are you deaf or something?" the young man asked.

"I said 'water and lime.' Unless you're deaf, yourself…"

"Get ou-" The young man started. The older barkeep stepped in.

"Tony… why don't you take the rest of the night off?" he asked his… younger apprentice, perhaps? The young man shrugged and exited. The older barkeep looked over at the bar's solo customer, and told him about the tavern down the street giving out free drinks with every order of food. The customer quickly gathered his things and left, not even looking back.

The barkeep sighed and turned his attention back to the boy in front of him, "So," he said slowly,"You're him? The guy I've been talking to?"

The boy continued to stare at the counter as he spoke in his deepened voice, "Yes… I am Estu."

"Estu… Good, good… I'm Mark. Nice to finally meet, though I have to say, I was expecting someone a bit older," the barkeep scrutinized Estu's appearance. Then he asked the dreaded question.

"How old are ya, anyway?"

"I'm 14," he lied. 14… it was young enough that most didn't get too suspicious, old enough that many considered the age to be the unofficial start of adulthood. Shinra had allowed soldiers as young as 14 to enlist in their army. Estu almost, _almost_ looked the part.

"You look a bit young" Mark said.

"Yes, I look young for my age, does that make our deal invalid?" Estu asked.

"Oh, no. No, I was just saying…of course the deal is still on," Mark said defensively.

"Good," Estu replied," Then tell me, what have you uncovered on Deepground and Weiss?"

* * *

><p>Cid, the most mechanically gifted in the group, agreed to take a break from the computer to look at Vincent's claw. He, Vincent, Denzel, and Marlene sat in the corner of the room, Vincent awkwardly holding his left arm out for Cid to examine. Though the gauntlet was, for the most part, simple metal, there were a few mechanisms within it that allowed Vincent to use the hand, as severely damaged as it was. Cid moved the joints of Vincent's gauntlet around, trying to locate the source of the malfunction. As he looked at the wrist, his cigarette fell from his teeth, landing on the floor.<p>

"Damn it," he swore.

"Cid, don't curse in front of Marlene," Tifa said again from across the room.

"Are you kiddin'? Damn is not a cuss!"

Vincent looked at his claw while Cid relit the tobacco. Everything seemed fine… Cid hadn't yet found anything wrong. Why had it clamped down so tightly, digging the pointed fingers into his arm? Cid got back to examining the claw, but only looked annoyed.

"I can't find anything wrong with it. Joints are working… good pivot on the wrist… I mean, you've managed to keep the thing in surprisingly good condition." Cid lifted the claw higher. Vincent wished he would hurry.

"No, it looks just fine. Maybe you just had a muscle spasm or a cramp? Wait, do you even get those?" Cid asked.

"Not really," Vincent replied awkwardly. He hated all the little things that made him different from the others. He looked back around the room. It seemed that Marlene had lost interest in the mechanics of his claw, but Denzel was still watching intently. He looked like he was more interested in what Cid was doing than anything else. Cid finally sighed, releasing the claw. Vincent drew his hand back, still wondering what had gone wrong.

"Just tell me if whatever it did happens again," Cid finally said. He started moving back to his computer, but paused.

"Hey, Reeve! Has anyone actually found anything yet?" Cid asked. Reeve stood from his desk, frustration showing through his eyes.

"I haven't found much, aside from what we already know. But we just got here today, I think we should spend a few days - maybe a week or so, actually – searching for the information.

"How do we even know it's here?" Tifa asked.

"Well, we found something on the proto-materia, at least," Yuffie said with a gleam in her eye. She motioned for Vincent to move closer to her computer. He walked over to where she sat and crouched down. She pointed to the monitor at an odd symbol.

"This," she explained ,"Is the Cetra symbol for materia… it's actually the word for 'magic', 'life', and 'energy' combined with the word for 'earth' and 'sphere'… 'Mat' and "Eeri' that's where we get the word from." Vincent was actually a bit impressed. He knew Yuffie had an obsession with materia, but didn't realize she was knowledgeable on something like the word's origin.

"So how do you know that it's not just talking about some other materia, again?" Tifa asked.

"Well, I only know a few Cetra symbols, but this one before materia means 'beginning' and 'original.' So it's the original materia… in other words…"

"Proto-materia… beginning materia… So it's what, as old as the planet?" Cid wondered.

"Maybe… Either way, we should translate the rest of the document while we're here," Reeve said as though they had already agreed to stay. **Who made him the leader anywa**y? _Well he was the president of WRO, and basically the unofficial world leader_, Vincent pointed out, suddenly realizing how quiet Chaos had been for the last few hours, he hadn't spoken once since they were on the rooftop.

The room stayed quiet for a moment, until the silence was broken by a loud yawn. Marlene looked as though she was about to fall asleep. Tifa walked over to her, squeezing the girl's hand. Marlene stood, rubbing her eyes.

"It's getting pretty late," Tifa said. "I think we need to call it a night, before everyone falls off their chair."

"Yeah, I'm fu- " Cid began, but stopped mid word when Tifa glared at him. He cleared his throat and amended, " I'm REALLY tired."

Tifa picked Marlene up. Marlene looked over at Vincent. She had said she doesn't like being treated like a little kid, but looked too tired to protest.

The group decided to work on uncovering information in the morning. Back at the house they rented, Vincent looked over at the bed he had been given. He wasn't tired, but had nothing else to do. **You should sleep…** Why did Chaos care? **Sitting here all night will be boring, just get some sleep. **_Maybe he's right? … That's just ridiculous, why does he care? I don't care… I haven't slept since, I don't even know… _He climbed into the bed and fell asleep.

* * *

><p>Estu drummed his fingers along the counter as he listened to Mark's so-called 'top secret and vital information.' Everything the man had said, he already knew. He was starting to get impatient… he had followed too many leads, met with too many contacts, to just hear what he had before.<p>

"So, what do you know that no one else knows?" Estu asked, looking at his fingers.

"Everything I just told you… Deepground is very secretive, they were developed…"

"To replace SOLDIER, I already knew that. I want to know their connection to Dr. Weiss, and Professor Hojo, as well… if you actually know anything," Estu said.

"I – I thought I was the only one out side of the Shinra bio-tech team that knew anything," Mark said. "I don't know what else I can tell you…"

"Your brother worked directly under Professor Hojo and Dr. Weiss. You know their connection to the project. You know what happened behind the scenes… the reason why your brother was silenced." Mark shifted uncomfortably… perfect, now just one last thing to make him talk.

"If you don't tell me everything, your brother will have died in vain. You don't want that, right?" Estu asked, finally looking Mark directly in the eye. Mark looked nearly as uneasy as Estu felt. Estu dropped his gaze again and continued drumming his fingers on the counter.

"My brother…" Mark said sadly, "Do you know, he never even got to say goodbye to his son? My nephew… Tony was so distraught… that was nearly five years ago, though… so long ago…" _Why is he reminiscing… is that the right word for something painful? Does he think I care, or is he stalling? This is so frustrating…_

"Tony grew up without a father for no reason… Please, just tell me what you know," Estu said… 'Please' that always seemed to get people talking.

"It's not so much what I know as… what was given to me. You see, my brother stole a few files. He gave them to me – to hold onto for him – just two days before he-"Mark looked upset again. Estu resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"So where are the files now?" he asked.

"Don't you understand? They'll kill you! They'll kill me! Those files were a huge secret. No one was supposed to know! Maybe if you had come to me a few weeks ago, I could show you, but now that they've taken over Edge?" Mark looked wildly about the room, as if searching for Deepground spies.

"There is a reason I'm paying you so much for the information. You knew going into this that you would be divulging life threatening secrets. And I do not break deals because one party is cowardly." Estu glared at the man's shoulder, lifting his head just enough that he appeared to be looking Mark in the eyes. Mark wiped sweat from his brow.

"I don't have the files here… if you give me time… two days? I can get them, and we'll meet back here…"

"Why two days?" Estu asked.

"Because, they're in storage… this facility, right out side the city. It's closed tomorrow, but I can get them the day after. Then we meet back here on the evening after tomorrow's."

"Sounds reasonable. I can wait that long, but if this is a trap…." Estu gestured to a small sword, sheathed and dangling from his right hip, "well, if it is a trap, then I'd love to get some practice with my wakizashi." Mark bit his lip nervously as though thinking 'who is this guy?'

"By the way…" he continued ,"Do you happen to have any vacant rooms?"

"Er… no, no I don't," Mark said, severely unnerved by the boy.

"Hm, perhaps you should fix the 'Vacant' sign outside your building then…"

"Ack, what I meant was… er, the only available rooms are on the lower floors… not as good as the ones up top, you know…"

"Oh, that's perfect… I'm not very fond of heights, you see." Estu looked at his own feet… not out of embarrassment, but… confidence? Mark couldn't read his body language.

"How much for one of the lower rooms?" Estu asked.

"Fifty gil…" Mark said dejectedly. Estu pulled the money out of his pocket, and took the key Mark handed him. He walked towards his room with a triumphant grin lighting his eyes.

* * *

><p>Vincent found himself, once again, in the green field with the ancient tree. <em>I'm dreaming… I think… I'm not here, I'm in Junon, polluted, crowded, Junon. <em>He felt his legs moving, as though on their own… strange dream, it feels almost real… His left hand seemed to move of its own accord, lifting straight out in front of him, then rotating slightly before dropping down. _I'll just go on a walk then… _

The field was as beautiful as always. Vincent briefly wondered why he returned here in his sleep so often… Probably because it was peaceful…Probably because he had shared a moment with Lucretcia here. But then, where did the flowers come from? Perhaps they were another influence_… Aerith?_ He didn't really know. He crouched, looking up at the blue sky…

Until a blaring horn jolted him awake. He was back in Junon… in the street? And was only aware of the car rushing towards him just a moment before it would have hit him. He jumped, barely clearing the car in time. Then quickly moved out of the street. _What am I doing out here? Was I sleepwalking?_ Still a bit disoriented, Vincent began to walk back to the rented house.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Okay, as promised, here's the special-edition-super-Monday chapter. Enjoy! Also review, please!**

It was nearly dawn when Vincent arrived back at the house. _How did I manage to get so far away? This is so strange… I've never even sleepwalked before._ He opened the door and quietly slipped back into the house. The muffled sounds of sleep resonated around him. All the snoring and such seemed unnaturally loud to Vincent's enhanced sense of hearing. He wondered how he had managed to fall asleep in the first place. Either way, he didn't plan on going to sleep again. He would just wait until morning, then wait until one of the other nine found useful information… all the waiting was getting on his nerves.

He decided to watch a little TV. _If nothing else, I can see if Deepground has anymore messages to the world. _

Or not. After settling onto the couch in the living room, Vincent was treated to a commercial of platinum blonde woman struggling to operate a blanket. It was almost bad enough to be parodying itself. He heard a few noises from upstairs, to his utter relief. He flipped the switch on the television when he heard someone walking down stairs.

"Hey Vincent," Tifa said, walking into the living room. After knowing him as long as she did, she wasn't surprised that he was already awake. Vincent greeted her with a slight nod.

She sat on the couch next to him, brushing her hair. _Funny, I always assumed she wouldn't want anyone to see her until she was fully ready. That's how she was when we were traveling a few years back. Then again, maybe she only did that for Cloud._

"Anything interesting on TV?" she asked.

"Just some bimbo who doesn't understand blankets," Vincent replied.

"Commercials are stupid, huh?" He nodded again. Tifa ran the brush through her hair a few more times then sat up, stretching.

"So, Vincent? Have you got any plans for the day?" she asked. _Small talk? At least she didn't ask how well I slept._

"I'm not really sure what I'm doing today," Vincent said ,"but if you knew something I could help with-" He trailed off, startled by Tifa's sudden grin.

"Since you aren't busy, could you help me with something?" she asked.

"Oh… sure, what is it?"

"Well," she began, "Yesterday, when everyone was going through all the data files, I found something… interesting - a recorded conversation between two scientists studying the origins of certain materia. Proto-materia never came up by name, BUT they did mention someone who had seen 'the first.' I think they must have meant the Proto-materia." She looked rather excited.

"Huh, you could be right," Vincent said.

"Yeah! And I looked up the guy they were talking about. His name was kinda muffled, but I found someone who's name sounded alike and matched his description. His name's Vere, and he was a pretty prominent archaeologist and materia hunter about forty years ago. He's kind of faded into obscurity, but I found an address, and it's only a few hours walk away from the city limits, out in the woods."

"That's… really good. So does Reeve want you to look into this?"

"He doesn't actually know about what I found," she said sheepishly.

"Are we going to tell him?" Vincent asked.

"Do we really need to? If I told him, he'd want to bring everyone over to investigate, and Vere is a known recluse, so he'd get freaked out if more than the two of us went. Besides, it's not like he's our leader or anything. I was just going to tell him I was taking a day off," she said. Vincent nodded again. After all, Reeve wasn't their leader, technically.

"So, when are we heading out?" Vincent asked.

"Just as soon as the others get up… I don't want them to worry. We can just tell them we're… hmm. What is our cover?"

"…" Vincent wasn't very good at making up stories. He racked his brain for an idea.

"We… are… erm…" Vincent didn't know what to say.

"We are…" Tifa continued thoughtfully, "We are…going to…oh! I'm going to take you to learn how to use a computer!"

"What?" Vincent asked with a flat expression.

"He was complaining about you being so clueless about all the computer stuff, so I'll just say I took you to a class for seniors who can't keep up with all the new technology!"

"Really, Tifa? A class for 'seniors?' Like he's going to believe that," Vincent said.

"Actually, since you turn sixty-one in October, you would qualify," she pointed out. Vincent rolled his eyes.

"Do we really need to use that story?" he asked. _This one will end up hurting my pride, won't it?_

* * *

><p>Estu walked out of his room, rather early in the morning. Mark the barkeep was awake, polishing glasses for the day's business.<p>

"Sleep well?" Mark asked, more out of obligation than anything else. As ridiculous as it sounded, the boy still frightened him. There was just something off about the way he carried himself, the way he spoke…

Estu ignored Mark, instead pulling his hat lower around his head. After a moment of silence he spoke as he strolled towards the tavern's doors.

"I'm going for a walk. Please keep my room reserved. I plan on using it again tonight."

"If you want the room reserved," Mark said, brow furrowed, "you'll need to pay double – up front."

Seriously? I think he just made that rule up… Estu walked up to the bar, pulled 100 gil out of his pocket, and set it on the counter. He kept his eyes down, but said quietly, "You'll have to work harder to get me to leave, you know. I'm a very determined person – and this deal is very important to me."

"Who are you?" Mark couldn't help but ask. The question had been getting to him all night. Estu, now examining one of the glasses, shrugged his shoulders.

"Any way, that's really not your concern," Estu said. "Why don't you worry about the files, and the gil I'm going to pay you when out deal is complete." Without another glance back, Estu strolled out the tavern doors into the morning light.

* * *

><p>"You want to do what?" Reeve asked, incredulously. Tifa had just told him about their "plan." Vincent quietly gritted his teeth while Tifa relayed the story again. Meanwhile, more and more of the party were coming downstairs and listening to the excuse to get out of computer duty.<p>

"A senior citizen computer class?" Reno asked, not even bothering to suppress his smirk. Cid was shaking a bit as he struggled not to laugh and light a cigarette. Cid and Reno – Vincent expected them to laugh, but even little Marlene was succumbing to bursts of giggles.

"Vincent just wants to be helpful…Right, Vince?" Tifa looked at him expectantly.

"…Yes…I want to be… helpful," Vincent said, completely monotone. _I've been shot, stabbed, set on fire, electrocuted, had four demons shoved into me, stood at the center of an explosion, dealt with Chaos for thirty years – yet this, __**this**__ is the most painful experience of my life._

"Well, if you, ahem, think it will help, you're more than welcome to accompany Vincent to his, erm, class," Reeve said.

"Just be glad Yuffie isn't awake yet," Tifa whispered as they walked out the door.

* * *

><p>There was a slight chill in the morning air. Estu stared at his own feet as he moved along the sidewalks of Junon. He only glanced up to read street signs.<em> Mog Street… getting closer…<em>

The poorer end of Junon had never been quite as bad as the Midgar slums. However, it was still a dangerous place to go to alone – even in broad daylight – especially in broad daylight.

In recent years, a gang known as the Zemzeletts, named after the fearsome bird-like creatures that occupied the area outside of Junon, began to terrorize parts of the city. The Zemzeletts thrived in the shadows of the buildings, but acted mostly during the city's waking hours. No one really knew why. Perhaps it was a display of power. As if they were saying, "We're so tough, we'll work whenever we want." Estu couldn't care less about the reasoning behind their actions, though. All he knew was that any captured Zemzelett would bring a nice reward from the Junon police.

"White Wind Avenue," Estu read out loud. This was it – the center of Zemzelett operations. Finding and capturing a gang member would be a simple matter of waiting.

* * *

><p>"I really don't like public transportation," Vincent whispered to Tifa.<p>

"Don't be silly, this bus is the fastest way out of Junon," she whispered back.

"People are staring at me." Vincent glared at an old lady who had watched him, unblinking for nearly two minutes. She shyly looked away.

"Are you really surprised? I mean, look at the way you dress! You didn't think the cape would grab attention?"

"…Hn, I like the cape," Vincent said.

The bus came to a stop near the great elevator. The driver called out, "Upper city limits!" Tifa nudged Vincent's shoulder.

"Come on, this is us." They stood and disembarked from the bus. After a quick chat with a guard, Tifa and Vincent boarded the elevator and descended to the lower town.

The lower town was so miniscule that they crossed it in a matter of minutes. The small fishing village had long since been metaphorically crushed by the pollution generated by the upper city. Yet, people still lived there, whether because of some sense of pride or because they had nowhere else to go, Vincent wasn't sure. _We saved the world – but here they are… has anything changed for the better?_

"Something wrong?" Tifa asked as they crossed the town's outer limits. Vincent just shook his head.

After nearly an hour of walking, and fighting the occasional monster, they got to the edge of the woods. They hadn't been in the woods long when Tifa pointed out a throwing star wedged firmly in a tree.

"Huh, still here," she said, a smile on her lips. Vincent looked up at the star. It was… familiar, almost like…

"Is that-?" he began.

Tifa laughed, "Yeah, it's a memento from the day the 'Great Ninja Yuffie' managed to steal our money."

"I thought she joined you when you beat her in a fight?" At least, that was what Cloud had told him.

"Well, to tell you the truth, she beat us the first time around. You should've been there. It was pretty funny," she said.

"Funny?" _When is being a victim of theft funny?_

"It was funny mostly 'cause Cloud got so mad." She held up a fist and said in a slightly deepened voice, "'We aren't leaving these woods til we track down this mystery ninja and make them pay. I don't care if we're already out of the woods, we're going to backtrack even if it takes all day.' Four hours! Honestly, I wish Yuffie would've tried attacking us again sooner."

"Sounds like Cloud was pretty sore at losing," Vincent said. Strange, it sounded like something he would do, but Cloud and Yuffie got along pretty well when he met them… until the Wutai escapade anyway.

"They both held grudges against each other for a while. I was honestly surprised they managed to become friends," she looked thoughtful for a moment then said softly, "She misses him now… even though she doesn't let people see. I miss him, too."

"I know," Vincent replied.

"Do you still think he's alive?" Tifa asked.

Vincent sighed and said quietly, " I do… I think he has to be out there somehow. Maybe I'm stupid for thinking that, but-"

"I don't think it's stupid… I keep thinking the same thing… sometimes its just…"

"He's alive," Vincent asserted.

"I hope so…" Tifa said. "I guess it's that hope that's gotten me through this," she continued, "the hope that he's alive… I mean, taking care of Marlene and Denzel helps, too, believe it or not. Not being alone… and they cause trouble… keep me busy. Especially Denzel with his staff 'practice.'"

Vincent nodded, and began walking again ,"He- Denzel seems to be doing better lately."

"With the staff? I told him to give it a rest," Tifa said crossly.

"No, no not with the staff, just… you know, he's happier? Lately. …Compared to... the last month or…" he trailed off feeling stupid.

"Oh… right, yeah. I know what you mean," Tifa said. "I think… he's sort of given up on Cloud returning, though," She finished sadly. Vincent nodded again.

"He's sort of latched onto Cid though… I guess he sees him as a father figure of sorts," she noted.

"You better watch Denzel's mouth, in that case," Vincent replied dryly.

"He's really not that bad of an influence. His heart is in the right place, anyway… And back in the day, Cid was kinda like a father figure to all of us," she said fondly.

"Its sort of strange, considering Barret, Nanaki, and I were all older than him," Vincent said.

"Yeah, but you and Red are sort of special cases. And Cid and Barret were closer to best friends… they were both rough talkin' dreamers at heart."

_Idealistic yet rough… both of them…_

* * *

><p>Estu was walking through the alleyways when he heard a shrill scream. The scream, he found out as he rounded a corner, belonged to a woman –blond, mid-twenties – who was now cornered between a wall and a dumpster. A large man held a gun up to her. Estu gripped his sword tightly as he walked up to the man.<p>

"Excuse me," Estu began with more courage than he felt, " It seems like the lady would like you to leave her alone." _…That sounded idiotic. I really need to work on my one liners._

The criminal sneered, "Wouldn't want you to get hurt. Why don't ya go home to your ma, kid?" _…I don't have a 'ma.'_

"Actually, why don't you let this woman go? Or else," Estu said gripping his Wakizashi tighter. The crook just laughed.

"Ha! Kid, are you really going to fight me?" He raised his gun. _I only have a few seconds… it doesn't take long to pull a trigger. What I need…_ he though scanning the alleyway_… Is a distraction…ahah. That will work. _ He spied a small pebble near his foot and a broken fire alarm on the dumpster.

He opened his palms, supposedly a signal for peace and said, "Actually, I just want to talk." With his last word, he kicked the pebble, which collided with the fire alarm with a sharp "Clang."

"Huh?" the man looked back, just for a second…just enough time for Estu to draw his sword. In a swift, fluid motion, Estu sliced the sword across the man's shoulder.

"Ack!" the criminal, gasped in pain and rage. He wildly turned his gun towards Estu again and took aim. Estu used the hilt of his sword to nudge the gun to the side. The crook pulled the trigger, but the bullet flew harmlessly into a brick wall. The man pulled back, getting ready to fire again, but Estu spun his sward around and stabbed the criminal through his hand.

"Ahhh!" the man screamed. Estu withdrew the blade and hit the criminal on the head with the hilt of his sword, knocking him out.

He and the lady behind him, still apparently in shock, stepped over the unconscious crook. The man was bleeding profusely through both of his wounds. Estu activated a low level restore materia in his sword and cast a small healing spell –just enough to stop the man from bleeding out before he collected the reward. With his work done, Estu stepped back, sheathing his wakizashi. Suddenly, the woman standing next to him embraced him.

"Thank you so much! You're my little hero!" she said, hugging Estu tightly. Estu immediately tensed up at her touch and tried to back away from the hug.

"St- stop. Really. You don't need to thank me," he said, struggling to escape her grip. She just held him tighter as he wriggled uncomfortably.

"No, I couldn't thank you enough! You saved me!" she cried happily. _What's wrong with her?_ Estu wondered, still trying to escape.

"No, I – really, don't thank me – I – just, ack, please let go!" Estu said. The woman released him. Estu took a few steps backwards and straightened his shirt and hat.

"Isn't there anything I can do to thank you?" Estu thought for a moment.

"You could call the police," he said," save me the trouble of dragging that guy back to the station."

* * *

><p>Vincent and Tifa finally approached the small cabin in the woods. Looking aroung warily, Vincent asked, "Is this it?" Tifa nodded. They approached the door and Vincent knocked. The door opened, just a crack.<p>

A rough sounding voice shouted through the crack, "Who're ya? Damn trespasser. Get offa my yard now, or I'll sic my pet Formula on ya." _He has a pet Formula?_ Vincent wondered, imagining one of the purple, kite-like birds on a leash.

"We just want to talk to the famous archaeologist, Vere," Tifa said through the crack. The door shut. Through it, Vincent heard a muffled "Go away!"

"Wait, no… Please, we're looking for the Proto-Materia!" Tifa said desperately. The door opened a bit again.

"Why should I help you? Nothing good can come from that damned materia," Vere said.

"Because, if you don't help us, Deepground will get it," Vincent said. Vere opened the door.

"Come in…" he said quietly.

Vere's home was surprisingly neat, though the same couldn't be said for Vere, himself. The old man had long unkempt gray hair and a matching beard… he looked exactly what one would assume a hermit would look like. They sat down, and Tifa explained the situation.

"So, that's why we need to find it… and how we found you," she finished.

Vere nodded. He reached behind him and pulled a small safe out of a cabinet. After dialing a code into it, he opened the safe and withdrew a folded piece of paper.

"I recorded where I found the materia…its in the center of a labyrinth, here…" he pointed to a small map of the world. In the ocean between Junon and Costa del Sol, a small x marked where the labyrinth was.

"If you're serious about protecting it…be careful," he said. Tifa and Vincent nodded.

He laughed a bit ,"And good luck getting it… you'll need it."

* * *

><p>Estu smiled proudly as he carried his reward money back to the tavern. Mark looked up from the bar as Estu strolled back to his room.<p>

"Have a nice walk?" he asked, curious about the bag Estu carried.

Estu looked at his bag of gil and said," Yes, actually, I did have a nice walk." He smiled again as he walked into his room and locked the door.

* * *

><p>It was late in the evening when Tifa and Vincent arrived back at the house. Reeve sat on the couch in the living room, waiting for them.<p>

"Well? How was the computer class?" Reeve asked.

"Actually, we had to skip it. But we got this," Tifa said as she handed Reeve the map.

"What is… Proto-materia? Right there? How did you-?" Reeve stared at the two of them.

"Never mind, this is just… unbelievable… I can't believe you have this."

"I think we should get it as soon as possible," Tifa said.

"Yes, of course… let's see. We'll make preparations tomorrow, and you can disembark tomorrow evening," Reeve said.

_The Proto-Materia…Tomorrow evening…_ Vincent thought in anticipation.

* * *

><p>Across town, in the tavern, Estu sat on his inn bed.<p>

_The files…Tomorrow evening…_ Estu thought.

* * *

><p><strong>A few fun facts for those who are curious...<strong>

**1. I originally planned this chapter with Yuffie traveling to Vere's house with Vincent. I changed it mostly because it seems like Tifa is getting pushed to the background lately. Also, Yuffie would end up scaring the shit out of Vere, and they wouldn't get anywhere.**

**2. Vere is named after the Austrian Marxist archaeologist - Vere Gordon Childe. The more you know...**

**3. This is my longest chapter yet... yeah I know, not very interesting, but lists should always have at least three things.**

**Also, special thanks to Freezing Cold for being the first person to review my story, thus making this chapter possible, and to TV Tropes... because I sort of borrowed the concept of "Too Incompetent to Operate A Blanket." Next Chapter should be up on Friday.**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Another Friday, another chapter. This one's the longest yet, too. Hope everyone likes it, and if you do, leave a review. If not, you can leave a review anyway to tell me what I screwed up. Remember, all criticism can help make the story better. Also, before I forget~ Disclaimer: All information about sleepwalking comes from the all-mighty Wikipedia... the parts that are quoted are, anyway.**

* * *

><p>Estu tossed and turned as he dreamt. It was a dream that he had had a few times before, every now and then…really for as long as he could remember.<p>

_A man, who looked to be in his early twenties, sat in the co-pilot seat of an airplane. The man had unruly black hair and matching clothes. The pilot next to him seemed blurry with only the vague image of a half smile upon his lips. The man in black briefly glanced out the plane window at the rolling plains, far below. The plane suddenly shook. Heart racing... Something had gone wrong… the pilot said something to the man in black, but Estu couldn't hear… just a rush of wind as part of the plane's roof flew off. _

_Though the two were strapped in, the change in pressure and sudden wind blasted them. The pilot desperately tried to fly the airplane, but the controls weren't working. They were falling so rapidly. They were crashing! No! _Estu could hear his own frantic heartbeat_. NO! No, I'm dreaming… this isn't real. _But it felt real. Estu heard…no not just that… he felt the man in black screaming as the plane hit the ground.

Estu sat upright, drenched in a cold sweat. He still panicked for a moment, pressing his hand to his chest, feeling for his heart, despite the fact that he could hear the blood pounding in his ears. _I'm fine… I'm fine_… he thought, breathing a sigh of relief_. Get a hold of yourself… It was just a dream. Just a memory - no… no not a memory, it never happened. It never happened, you weren't even there. You don't even know him._ In the darkness of his room, Estu brushed his hair back, then feeling strangely naked, reached for his hat and put it on.

He laid down, still wearing the black beanie. Then, after taking a few more calming breaths, he closed his eyes and drifted back to sleep.

* * *

><p>Vincent woke up on a roof top, thoroughly confused<em>. What am I doing up here?<em> He sat up, surveying his surroundings. He realized he was on the Junon Central Skyscraper, above the data library. _How did I get up here? What the hell is going on? _It was still night time, judging by the moon, only 1 or 2 A.M. Vincent stood, dusting himself off. He walked back to the door that led to the stairs, treading quietly. When he opened the door of the data library, he was greeted by a surprisingly energetic Yuffie.

"Hey-ya, Vinnie! Feeling better?" she asked.

"What? What are you talking about? What are we doing here?" At his questions, Yuffie stood back a bit, apparently confused by Vincent's confusion.

"What do you mean? You walked up here with me cuz you couldn't sleep either, remember? I wanted to do some more research… you couldn't sleep… you don't remember?" Vincent shook his head. He had fallen asleep just fine, tired from the day's walk.

"You said… you said you needed …altitude? Something like that," she said.

"I…did? Did I actually say that?" Yuffie nodded. "You're sure?" Vincent asked.

"Yeah… now that you mention it, you sounded kinda weird. Are you ok, Vinnie? You look all worried… and you didn't even get mad at me for calling you 'Vinnie.'" She looked concerned. Vincent stared downward… _Can people talk in their sleep? I guess so, but… this has never happened before, and now two nights in a row? What's going on?_

"I think I was sleepwalking. I don't remember anything that just happened. I just woke up on the roof a minute ago," Vincent said.

"Really? I mean, you seemed… weird, but defiantly not asleep," Yuffie said.

"I- I don't know… isn't that what it's supposed to be like? You just wake up, but no one knew you were asleep?" he asked. Vincent had no idea how sleepwalking worked, but could have sworn he heard a story about someone who caught a chocobo and rode it from Costa del Sol to Gongaga before they woke up.

Yuffie thought about it for a moment, then walked over to one of the data library's many computers. Vincent followed, silently wondering if she was ignoring him. Yuffie tapped a few keys, pulling up a database of medical conditions. She searched "sleepwalking."

"Let's see, "she said,"…'Sleepwalking, also known as somnambulism, is a sleep disorder' …blah,blah,blah… 'state of low consciousness' …'perform activities usually performed during a state of full consciousness.' Hm…'these activities can be as benign as sitting up in bed, walking to the bathroom, and cleaning, or as hazardous as cooking, driving', blah,blah,blah… huh, possibly homicide… whoa… that's scary. " She glanced up at him, giving him a weird look. _I didn't kill anyone, Yuffie… At least I hope she'd tell me if I did… surely she noticed something strange about the sleepwalking…_

"So, does it say if you should be able to tell if I was asleep?" Vincent asked.

"It says 'Sleepwalkers have little to no memory… Although their eyes are open, their expression is dim and glazed over' …Actually, you looked pretty alert, even kept looking around at everything… you just weren't acting much like yourself. You sure you don't remember, Vinnie?" Vincent nodded. He couldn't remember a thing.

Yuffie stood from the computer looking troubled,"So does that mean I don't get to go with you to get the Proto-Materia?"

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Well, you said I could go with you and Tifa, but I guess you were…asleep…" she explained.

"Oh," Vincent said. Yuffie looked up at him with puppy dog eyes.

"Please, can I go too? I really wanna find the Proto-Materia. Think of it, Vinnie – Me and you, the discoverers of the world's first materia! We'd be famous." Yuffie's eyes sparkled as she spoke. Vincent sighed.

"Yuffie… we kind of already are famous. Besides, we aren't discovering the materia. Vere already discovered it a long time ago," Vincent pointed out.

Yuffie completely ignored him, "So can I go?" she asked. Vincent shrugged.

"Maybe you should work on getting on Tifa's good side. I'll just leave it up to her."

"What? You jerk! I even saved you from doing something stupid while you were sleepwalking," she said.

"Doing something stupid? Like going up to the rooftop to take a nap?" Vincent asked dryly.

"Yeah! Exactly like that." Yuffie strolled back to the computer and typed a few lines of code, pulling up images of several monsters. Each had a bit of information about them – mostly attack patterns and weaknesses. Yuffie gestured to the sets of creatures, poking at the monitor as she showed them to Vincent.

"These are some of the things we'll be up against… if I go, anyway, which I WILL… anyway, they're all pretty common to the area, so there's a chance they'll be in the labyrinth, too. A lot of these can poison and confuse us… I'm a decent healer, but we should bring some potions and other stuff also…" Vincent stopped paying attention. Yuffie would need to relay the information to Tifa later anyway. Yuffie didn't seem to notice, she jabbered about monsters and necessary materia while Vincent stood, tired but afraid to go back to sleep.

* * *

><p>In the morning Estu stretched and hopped out of his bed. He passed a mirror before turning back towards it, looking reluctantly at his reflection. <em>I still have my hat on…oh right.<em> He remembered that he had the airplane dream again. Estu ignored his uneasiness as he dressed and walked out into the tavern. Mark wasn't at the bar that morning, just his nephew… _what was his name? Tommy? I can't remember his name…It doesn't really matter, I guess. I mean he doesn't know mine. _The nephew glanced up from the bar, smoothing a bit of his blonde hair back and offering a quick smile.

"Hi, Estu!" he said cheerfully. _Crap… he does know my name… _

Estu cleared his throat, "Ahem, oh, hi there…" he let his voice trail off. He stared at his feet, but could feel the other boy's eyes on him. _Please stop staring at me. Please stop staring at me. Please stop… _Estu looked up for a moment. Mark's nephew stepped out from behind the counter, and held out his hand. The young man's smile didn't extend to his dark blue eyes, however.

"I think we got off to a bad start the other day. I'm Tony…I'm not sure if my uncle told you or not,"Tony spoke very quickly, almost to the point that it was difficult to make out individual words. _Did he know? Was it that obvious I didn't know his name?_ Tony held his hand out for another moment, but when Estu didn't shake it, he awkwardly scratched his head.

"Hmm… I see what Mark meant… a bit off…" he mumbled.

"What now?"

"Oh nothing… do you want breakfast? My uncle went off to get something, so I'm in charge of this place today," Tony said_._ _I wonder if he's old enough to work at this bar? He doesn't look much older than me. Are there actual regulations for that sort of thing?...I am pretty hungry though._

"Yeah…breakfast, sounds good," Estu said. Tony walked back to the bar, pouring Estu a glass of water with lime. Estu sat on a stool and looked at the drink, confused. _Oh, that was the code word. He must think I actually like water and lime. Mark picked that word, I don't like limes._

"…Thanks," Estu said a bit sourly. Tony didn't seem to notice his expression. He just poured a bowl of cereal and slid it to Estu. Estu took a bite, and made a face.

"Too sweet?" Tony asked.

"It's been a while since I had anything with so much sugar," Estu explained. Tony looked at him curiously. _Please stop staring…_

"So, you've traveled a lot, huh?" Estu just nodded, taking another bite of overly sweet cereal. "How long have you been traveling?" Estu swallowed.

"A while," he said vaguely.

"Aren't you kind of young to be traveling?" Tony asked. _When did this turn into an interview?_

"I'm fourteen…" Estu lied again.

"No, you aren't," Tony replied. _What does he mean 'no I'm not?'_ Estu took a few more bites, then replied a quick, "Yes I am."

"No…I can tell," Tony said. Estu slammed his spoon down, and stood.

"How? How can you tell? You can't! You don't know me! How can you tell I'm lying?" Estu asked. _Calm down…he doesn't actually know. Why do I care? I'm leaving this city tonight, as soon as I get the files. _Estu forced himself to sit again. Tony looked at him, smugly. _Damn him… he doesn't know anything about me. _

"Usually, if someone asked how I can tell they're lying, I'd say they wouldn't look me in the eye, or something. Except, you never look people in the eye, do you?" Estu frowned. "No," Tony continued, "You really don't look at people when you talk to them…noticed that the other night, and Uncle Mark mentioned it, too. Seemed to creep him out." Annoyed, Estu forced himself to look up in defiance. Tony still smirked, and Estu noticed that in the growing light, his eyes seemed to have a purple tinge to them. He found the young man's expression unnerving and quickly looked back down. "See? You don't like it much, do you? But anyway, I can tell you're lying… because you don't look fourteen."

"That's not proof that I'm lying," Estu objected.

"Yeah, but the fact that you're so defensive about it is," Tony said quickly. Estu took a few more bites of cereal glaring at the bowl. Tony watched him, curiously.

"So… you're under fourteen, yet you've traveled a lot… and you hunt for bounties in your spare time," Tony said.

"I am fourteen… and do I really look like a bounty hunter?" Estu asked. _What's he doing? Has this guy been watching me? _Estu continued to hold his spoon with his left hand, while quietly tapping on the counter with his right.

Tony's lips quirked up as he watched Estu's fingers drum across the counter top. "Nervous tic… interesting…Anyway, you're right, you don't look like one, but my friend who's brother is a cop mentioned a guy bringing in a Zemzelett yesterday. And _you_ had a large sack of gil from unknown sources. Could be coincidence, but the money had to come from somewhere, and you don't strike me as a thief or drug dealer… no nothing like that. Plus, you always carry that little sword…"

"It's a wakizashi," Estu said, mouth full.

"…Wakizashi… hmm, yet you don't look Wutaian… Did you ever live there? You must have, at least at some point…I'm right aren't I? I mean, you can't get those sorts of weapons anywhere. But I digress; you carry a sword at all times. Someone who carries a sword expects to use it. Either you planned on getting in a fight, or you have ridiculous trust issues… actually, in your case it's probably both, considering-"

"You have issues," Estu retorted, "I mean, who in their right mind starts psychoanalyzing someone while they're eating breakfast?"

Tony thought for a moment, then replied quietly, "Someone who's bored…"

"Just leave me alone. I'm not lying about anything! And even if I was, it wouldn't be your business." Estu finished his cereal and chugged his drink, ignoring the flavor of both. He slid the dishes across the counter. Tony looked mildly amused.

"It's whatever, I don't really care how old you aren't, or where you're not from… and that'll be 5 gil, by the way." Tony said, taking his cereal bowl. Estu slammed 105 gil on the counter.

"Reserve my room… I'll be back later." Estu turned to leave. As he walked towards the door Tony shouted at him.

"Hey, what's wrong? I thought we were having a nice conversation!"

* * *

><p>As Vincent and Yuffie walked back to the house, they saw a boy wearing a black beanie hat walking hurriedly in the opposite direction as them. His green eyes were squinted with anger, staring at the sidewalk in front of him. Vincent looked back as he and Yuffie passed him.<p>

"What do you think was wrong with him?" Vincent asked when they were out of earshot.

"Ah, who knows. He probably didn't have enough sugar in his cereal. That always ruins my morning," Yuffie said.

They entered the house at about 7:30 A.M. Tifa was already up, making preparations for the night's journey. Yuffie, remembering what Vincent had told her, waved at Tifa.

"Hey! Do you need any help with those supplies? I can help, you know! I'd love to help!" Yuffie said.

Tifa looked up at Yuffie, "Sure, do you think you could pack up these potions?"

Yuffie grinned, "Heck, yeah, I love packing potions!" Tifa gave Yuffie a skeptic look before continuing to ready supplies.

Vincent climbed the stairs leading to his bedroom, looking around at the furniture. A lamp had been turned over, as well as the night stand. He walked across a pile of books, strewn across the floor. On the wall opposite of the door, four long tears ripped through the wall paper. He reached his left hand out…the tears matched his claw perfectly. _What did I do?_ He shook his head and started fixing the disarray of the room. Even asleep, he didn't think he'd have a reason to do this. _I'm not a neat freak, but the room just looks awful, messy, chaotic… Chaotic…_

Vincent set the book he was holding on one of the still standing shelves. He settled onto the bed, before mentally calling out_. Chaos?_ There was no answer, for once. _He's been so quiet since I got to Junon…_ Not that Vincent had minded. It was a welcome break to his life's usual madness, yet something was wrong… He thought again_, Chaos? Hello?_ **What, human?** _Human? _ **That's what you are, isn't it? I guess, in a matter of speaking, you're abnormal for a human…as I've pointed out, then you get angry… every time… so predictable… But what do you want**_**?**__ I was just wondering, are you…awake while I'm asleep? I mean, you know, aware?_ **Sometimes.** _Just sometimes? Well, were you aware that I've been sleepwalking?_** No, and frankly, I don't care. **_You don't? You usually seem to think anything that's wrong with me is funny. _**Ever think I have better things to pay attention to than your sleep issues?**_ Considering you can't do anything on your own… _**I don't care… maybe you just aren't as interesting as you think.**

Vincent felt the mental connection sever. He stood and finished fixing the room, if anything, more troubled. Chaos had never been… nice. That he knew from the beginning. It made sense… spirits of death and destruction weren't known for their friendliness. And despite being for the most part trapped within his mind, Chaos did his best at times to make Vincent's life a living hell. But after so much time, Vincent had started to view Chaos as more of a nuisance than anything else. Something that he kept in check, a criticizing voice in his inner ear. He didn't know if it was because Chaos could feel his emotions or simply because he was bored, but the demon had always paid attention to Vincent's actions… making snide remarks the whole time, but he paid attention. He had never been quiet… never apathetic, or eager to go back to his personal corner of Vincent's mind. Now that he was… and at the same time as everything weird happening, Vincent worried that he had something to do with it.

* * *

><p>Estu found a quiet corner of a back alley. He sat, still fuming at Tony… <em>What right did he have to pry into my business? The nerve… I should… I should… I should what? I'd like to punch him, but then I probably wouldn't get the files.<em> Estu knew that there wasn't much he could do. He stared silently at the wall in front of him. After tonight, he'd leave the awful city. He'd use what he learned to track down Weiss… then, and only then he'd have his answers. On his father's death bed, 'Weiss' was his final word_… Weiss, leader of Deepground. Weiss – world renowned scientist. What's the connection?_

"Did Weiss answer yet?" _What? Did I hear that right?_ Estu looked around for the source of the voice. It came from above him… an open window, five stories up. Estu looked uneasily at a fire escape ladder. He soundlessly climbed it, careful to avoid looking down. He leaned towards the window, listening. It was now quiet, he heard muffled voices from another room_. Should I go in? They said Weiss… I want to know what they were talking about him for_. Without another moment of hesitation, Estu carefully climbed through the window.

Crouching behind a sofa, he listened, eyes shut… he couldn't make out the conversation from the other room but heard the word 'Deepground.' The voices, two distinct ones, grew louder and clearer as footsteps approached the room Estu hid in. _Oh, no... this was a bad idea. _ Panicked, he looked for a place to hide, crawling under the sofa in sheer desperation. He fit… barely, but skirts of fabric hid him, and he could breathe normally. He just needed to wait until they passed, and he could get out of there. To his horror, the two people entered the room instead of passing it. Two matching pairs of boots stood in front of the sofa, then Estu felt two thumps as the people sat down.

"So, this plan of yours," began one of the voices, it sounded young , though not quite high pitched, " Weiss doesn't know, at all?"

"No, Zul… he doesn't know. He'll just be happy when I conquer the second greatest city in the world for him." The second voice was lower and prideful.

The one called Zul spoke again, "You're father will be angry… you know that right, Argento?"

"What the old man don't know won't hurt him," Argento replied. Estu's heart raced. _This 'Argento' is Weiss's son? And he's _planning_ on conquering Junon? _

"Don't you mean 'won't hurt you?' I mean, your plans… if you can call them that… have failed what? Twice now?"

One of the two shifted a bit. Argento seemed to take offence to Zul's comment, "You know neither of those times were my fault!" he shouted. The room seemed to quake with the intensity of his voice. Estu curled up smaller under the sofa. Zul, however, was unimpressed.

"Not your fault… of course. It's not like you came up with the plans, planted the explosive charges, sent monsters to WRO… no, no, not your fault at all it blew up in your face," Zul said in even, measured tones.

"Nothing. Blew. Up. In. My. Face!" Argento said.

"Right, I can tell from the fact that Reeve Tuesti is still alive," Zul quipped. _Reeve… Reeve the leader of WRO?_

"Reeve is alive because your damn explosives were too weak," Argento said.

Zul sighed ," Reeve is alive because you couldn't place the charges like I told you… I checked them that day…told you myself that you were wrong, but you couldn't admit it. Then what happens? People survived… You managed to blow up the entire street, but only took out a body guard and some fellow with a gun arm. Oh, and I suppose I'll give you credit for Tseng… didn't really kill him, but close enough."

"Well it doesn't matter, if your robots had done a better job last week at WRO HQ, Reeve would be dead," Argento said, voice teetering on the edge of fury.

"Again, that was your poor planning. Sending in two monsters that are notorious for despising each other? What were you thinking?" Zul laughed a bit.

"I don't need to answer to you! I don't need to answer to anyone!" Argento shouted again.

"Yes… and you do outrank me," Zul sighed.

"Damn right, I do."

"Still, I can't help but wonder what would've happened if Ne-"

"Don't you dare say that name!"

"Nero," Zul said, slowly and deliberately.

"That bastard would never've been able to conquer Edge like I did!"

"His track record suggests otherwise… "

"He's was never anything but a worm, a pawn, a filthy stinking bastard, a son of a bitch, a coward…"

"Arge, you really shouldn't speak that way about your brother," Zul reproached. _Brother?_

"I did what he never could've done. But do I get recognized?" Argento asked.

"You are second in command…" Zul mumbled.

"No!" Argento continued, "All my life, I get compared to him… 'Nero's great.' 'Nero's strong.' Nero's DEAD!"

"Technically speaking, he's in stasis, not dead," Zul pointed out. Argento stood.

"Hmmph! I'm going to prepare my forces. Can you disable the city at 7:30 P.M.?"

"Yes, the whole town's electric network is maintained by a few computers… hacking them shouldn't be a problem. And if Reeve runs, I can track his phone. I still can't believe the idiot never knew I've been putting tracking chips in every phone made in the last two years…"

Argento laughed as he left the room. Estu silently prayed that Zul would exit too, but the younger man still sat on the couch. _I'm stuck until he moves.… 7:30 P.M. … I need to get out of this city by 7:30… this is bad._

* * *

><p>"Hey Reeve, we're all done here," Yuffie shouted. Vincent examined the supplies. They had everything they would need, and several things they probably didn't.<p>

"So… Tifa…" Yuffie began.

"Yeah?" Tifa replied.

"Can I Please please please please Plllllleeeeeaaassssse go to the labyrinth?"

"Um…yes?" Tifa answered.

"Please! I promise I'll do a good job! I really want to find the Proto-materia and I… did you say yes?" Yuffie pumped her fist in the air.

"Yes! I, Yuffie Kisaragi, White Rose of Wutai, Greatest Materia hunter the World had ever known, shall discover the world's first materia."

"We still aren't discovering anything, Yuffie…" Vincent said. Yuffie stuck her tongue out. Reeve finally entered the room.

"All set? So, Cid will get you there, I presume," Reeve said.

"Actually, I thought it would be better if one of us stayed with the kids," Tifa said.

"Oh… well Reno and Rude can both fly fairly well… Do you want one of them?"

"Sounds good," Tifa said. Reno passed Reeve, walking towards the kitchen.

"Reno, will you talk with Rude and figure out which of you will retrieve the materia?" Reeve asked. Reno glanced back, mouth full of food he had taken from the fridge. He swallowed, with some difficulty.

"Yeah, sure Boss," Reno said, then shouted ," Ay! Rude!" _Reeve could have done that…_ Rude walked downstairs.

"…Yeah?" he answered.

"D'you wanna go to a cold, scary, monster infested maze?" Reno asked.

"… No thanks…" Rude said, turning.

"Alright then, Lemme tell Tifa that you're chicken."

"What? No don't-" Rude said.

"Tifa! Rude's chicken, so I guess you guys are stuck with me," Reno said. Tifa looked up, distractedly.

"Oh, okay… sounds good…" Rude blushed and dejectedly walked back upstairs.

Within the hour, they had supplies packed into the helicopter. Tifa and Reno sat up front, and Yuffie and Vincent in back. Despite worries of another motion sickness episode, Yuffie was grinning, confident that they would be successful. Vincent just sat, knees pressed to his chest as he waited for Reno to lift the helicopter. _This is it… After today, we'll have the edge that Deepground wants. Who knows, maybe whatever this materia can do will be their downfall._ He watched out the window as the helicopter rose up into the air.

* * *

><p>Estu squirmed with discomfort. After what seemed like eternity, Zul still sat, trapping Estu underneath the sofa<em>. There has to be a way out… Maybe I could fight him, but I have no idea how well he can fight. And my arms and legs are asleep… I'd be so shaky<em>. So he stayed put, listening to a television set Zul watched. Finally, two pairs of boots reappeared in front of the couch and Estu felt Zul stand. He listened as Zul exited the room, and his footsteps grew fainter and fainter.

Estu crawled out, feeling shaky and sore. He moved towards the window and climbed out, back onto the fire escape ladder. As he moved down, his foot slipped on a rung. Estu panicked and gripped the ladder tightly. _You don't have time for this… the sun's starting to set… 7:30 P.M_. Estu climbed down the ladder. When he reached the bottom, he ran towards the bar. _7:30 P.M. …I don't have much time. I need to get the files and go._ He passed people on the streets, all of them staring at him as he ran to the bar. _I need to get there soon! What time is it? _He kept running. Around him, the darkness of twilight was creeping over the city.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: I'm surprised I actually managed to finish this... well anyway, here it is - chapter nine. I guess I should warn you guys, this chapter gets... dark. Really dark... Well, Estu's perspective gets dark, anyway. Vincent's stays pretty light hearted, comparatively speaking. So, be ready for some mood whiplash. But like I said, Estu's perspective gets pretty bad. More violence than usual, too. So, if at the end of this, you absolutely despise me, remember to leave a review, keeping it as spoiler-free as you can, that way other people can get angry if they want. And if you find this forgivable/ interesting/ good, well, you know the drill...**

* * *

><p>The sun was beginning to set when Reno, Tifa, Yuffie and Vincent arrived at the spot labeled on Vere's map. Vincent surveyed the area, a small island that was dotted with a few palms. Nothing about the island was remarkable. It looked as though it could be featured on any postcard from Costa del Sol. <em>Could this really be where the Proto-Materia is?<em>

Reno landed the helicopter and stepped out. After looking around the island he noticed a large rock at the center. "What's this?" he asked. The rock was round and smooth, and had several symbols carved into it. Yuffie hopped out of the helicopter and ran over to Reno.

"Look! It's the symbols from before!" Yuffie pointed to the three characters. "Beginning, magic, sphere. This must be it!"

"Yeah, so where the hell is it?" Reno asked.

"There's supposed to be a labyrinth of some sort," Tifa said, stepping out of the helicopter. "But I don't see it…"

Vincent walked over and stood behind them_. Maybe…_ Vincent stepped forward and with all the strength he could muster, he pushed the rock back just an inch or two. The rock uncovered the smallest bit of a hole. Peering down into it, Vincent said, "I think this is how you enter. The labyrinth must be underground."

"An underground labyrinth? Cool!" Yuffie said excitedly. Reno rolled his eyes.

"Alright, let's get this over with," he said, pushing his sleeves up. He, along with Tifa and Yuffie, helped Vincent push the rock further out of the way. It took a minute, but with the four of them pushing at the same time, they managed to move the rock away, revealing a hole in the ground. The four stood back to examine it. The completely uncovered hole was pretty large, and so deep that none of them could see the bottom. Tifa got a glow stick out of their supply packs and cracked it. She tossed it in the hole, and the group watched as it fell further and futher, until they heard a quiet splash. Reno looked around at the others.

"So, which of you wants to go first?" he asked.

"We didn't bring nearly enough rope to climb down," Yuffie said.

"So… we've gotta frickin jump?"

"Is a fall like that survivable?" Tifa wondered. Reno shrugged.

"There's water down there, right? I'd say it'd break your fall."

"Maybe you should test that theory, Reno," Tifa said.

"No way, ladies first. That's a rule."

"In that case, do you want to go, Yuffie?" Tifa asked.

"Yuffie's not a lady," Reno laughed. Yuffie glared at him. _This conversation isn't going anywhere…_

"I could just go first, then tell you all if it's all right to jump," Vincent pointed out.

"Is that what you want to do?" Tifa asked.

Vincent sighed, "Not really, but I at least know that I'll be fine." Tifa nodded and stepped out of Vincent's way. Vincent peered down the hole nervously. He took a deep breath, and stepped forward into the dark pit.

* * *

><p>As Estu ran through the city, his thoughts were haunted by Argento's words. "That bastard would never've been able to conquer Edge like I did! I did what he never could have done." All Argento ever wanted to do was surpass his brother, Nero, who he hated with a passion. <em>How could he hold so much animosity towards his own brother? His apparently mostly-dead brother at that.<em> Estu didn't know much about 'normal' families, but he knew he'd never be able to hate his father or sister like that. At least, he hoped he wouldn't be able to. A clock tower near him began to strike six chimes. Orange started to tint the western edge of the sky. Estu ran as fast as he could, trying not to think about how quickly his time was running out. _The files… just grab the files and get out_, he kept telling himself. Focusing his mind helped him ignore the looks he was getting from other people on the street.

He finally reached Mark's tavern. He panted as he opened the doors, and looked wildly around the bar. A few customers and Tony were inside, but there was no sign of Mark. Still out of breath, he walked to the bar where Tony stood, wearing the same smug, and mildly amused expression as earlier. "Where is he?" Estu asked.

Once again, Tony spoke very rapidly, firing off questions instead of answering, "Where is who? I mean, I'm guessing you mean my uncle. That's who you mean right? Why do you need to talk to him exactly? And why-"

"Shut up! Just shut up for a minute and answer me," Estu snapped. Tony quirked an eyebrow.

"Are you okay? You look more panicked now then you did this morning." Estu opened his mouth to speak, then shook his head.

"Something big is about to happen… Deepground is involved, and they might come after you, since your dad worked with the scientists in charge of the project." For once, Tony had trouble finding words.

"H- how did you know about my father?" he finally asked. Estu didn't answer, he just shook his head.

"You should get out of here. You're uncle has something I need, but… it won't be safe for you." Tony nodded. He began to walk to the door, before tuning back.

"Why did you warn me? I mean, you seem to hate me…" Tony asked. Estu shrugged, he didn't know why either.

"I guess," Estu began, but stopped. "Where's your uncle, exactly?" Estu asked. Tony stared blankly. He didn't know.

"You should get out here." Estu repeated. "You mentioned a friend in the police?"

"My friend's brother works for the police, but you think I should go to his house?"

"Anywhere would be better than here. I can't leave, but... Just hurry and go. And drop your cell phone; they can use it to track you." Tony took a phone out of his pocket and tossed it on the ground. Normally, he wouldn't have believed a complete stranger, but somehow, he felt Estu wasn't lying.

Before leaving, Tony looked at the customers. "All right, people. Closing time." Then Tony left with the others.

As Tony walked out of the tavern, Estu sat at the bar, holding his head in his hands, and praying that Mark would show up in time.

* * *

><p>Vincent's hair flew wildly about his face as he fell. He started counting the seconds as wind rushed past him. <em>One… Two … Three… Four … How deep is this pit? <em>He couldn't see the bottom, couldn't see anything, really. There was a pinprick of light at the top of the cavern where the hole was, but aside from that, nothing_. Twelve… Thirteen… Fourteen… And I still can't see the bottom…This is going to hurt…_ Just as Vincent mentally braced himself, he noticed he was slowing down. Somehow, he slowed – almost to the point that he felt like he was parachuting – for nearly half a minute, before he finally hit the water. Weighed down by his cloak, claw, and boots, he sank for a moment, then kicked his legs and surfaced. Now that he was in the water, he saw that it was slightly illuminated by the glow stick. He could just make out the edge of a rock. He climbed on top of it and looked up at the ceiling.

"Vincent?" He could barely hear the voice, it was one of the girls, but he couldn't even tell if it was Tifa or Yuffie.

Drawing a deep breath, he shouted back, "It's all right! You can jump!" Vincent was a bit surprised by his own voice. He didn't do much yelling, and it sounded strange to him.

A high pitched scream split the cavern air. Vincent looked up, his eyes adjusting to the dim light. Yuffie flailed her arms as she fell. _She's going so fast!_ Vincent tensed up, worried that she'd just keep falling, but then, same as him, she slowed before hitting the water. She surfaced quickly, gasping for air. "Vincent?" she called out, unable to see him.

"I'm right here," Vincent said. Yuffie swam towards his voice, and he helped her onto the rock. Yuffie opened the water-proof pack she carried, and dug around until she found an electric torch. She clicked it on, accidently shining it in Vincent's eyes. "Ow."

"Oh, sorry, Vinnie," Yuffie said. Vincent blinked a few times, trying to regain his night vision.

"You alright?" Tifa yelled from above.

"We're fine! Go ahead and jump!" she shouted excitedly, waving the light around. _Someone other than her really needs to hold onto the torch…_

"How come we slowed down, anyway?" Yuffie asked Vincent.

"Some sort of magic, maybe?" Ancient temples seemed to work differently from the rest of the world.

"Think there's antigravity materia? That would be so awesome!"

"Yeah, I suppose," Vincent replied. He and Yuffie waited another two minutes as Tifa and Reno each fell into the pond at the bottom of the cavern. They helped the two onto the rock, which, on closer inspection, turned out to be a small island, with a bridge connecting it to a stony shore. The four carefully crossed the bridge, then shining their lights around, found a stone archway, etched with small, slightly luminescent symbols. Together, they walked towards the archway, sure that it marked the way to the Proto-Materia.

* * *

><p>Seven strikes from the clock tower. Estu tapped his fingers along the bar. <em>What if he doesn't make it? What if he set me up? What if- stop. He'll be here… but what if-<em> Estu stood and started pacing. He only had thirty minutes – half an hour for Mark to show up, grab the files and escape. Zul apparently could shut the city's electricity down, and because the whole town was elevated, there was no way out without the elevator. At least no way on foot, there were ships… and airplanes, though Estu didn't want to consider that option. Estu sat again, nervously tapping his fingers for a few minutes. He glanced at a clock on the wall. 7:12. _I should leave now… these Deepground people are insane. When they took Edge there were civilian casualties, but they didn't even care. And I'm in here, a sitting duck… I should leave, but I can't…_

A ringing bell interrupted Estu's thoughts. He looked up to see a tired looking Mark walking through the door. Estu immediately jumped up and walked over to him.

"Files. Now," he said. Mark just looked at him. Estu stared down at his feet.

"The deal… is off."

"What? You can't do that! We had an arrangement! Give me the files!" Estu looked at the clock, 7:16.

"I can't…"

"Do you have them?" Estu asked.

"Yes… but…" Mark walked to the counter and took his coat off, carefully laying it across the bar. Estu followed him over.

"I need the files! Please, we both need to get out of here –"

"And why is that?"

"...Deepground is planning to attack the city," Estu said. Marked turned around to face him.

"What?" he shouted.

"That's why I need them now! We only have – ack, 7:20! We only have ten minutes now!"

"You! You told them didn't you? About the information I have? You're a spy?" Mark had a crazed look in his eyes. He grabbed Estu and held him up by his collar.

"I- I'm not a spy! Let go." Estu kicked at Mark, who dropped him. Estu shakily stood back up, fixing his hat. _7:22. No, no no…_

Mark glared at Estu, shouting again, "You told them! Told them who I was, told them where I am! That's why they're here!"

"No, this isn't even about you," Estu said.

"Ha! Then it's about you then? As if. I'm the only person in the world who knows exactly who those freaks are!" Estu shook his head. _He's lost it. He's completely insane._

"This isn't about either of us… probably. But if they come here-" Mark cut Estu off.

"Probably? So you don't even know?"

"I know they're main objective," Estu said_. Their_ _main objective is to kill that Reeve guy… _ "They might be eliminating other targets as well. We can't risk-"

"How do you know all this? Because they sent you to kill me?"

"I'm trying to save you, you ass!" Estu shouted. _7:26… no time to escape now. I need to hide._

"Save me? Save me? You're going to kill me! You've already killed me, telling them where I am!" Mark yelled. Estu ignored him. There was no reasoning with the man. He grabbed the coat on the bar, and dug around in the pockets.

"What are you doing?" Mark asked. Estu rolled his eyes.

"I'm getting the files and leaving," he said, digging around in the pocket. He felt a large stack of paper in the inner right pocket. Estu pulled it out and examined it. An inch thick folder, bound up in string. _This has to be it_. Estu looked at the clock again. 7:28. Mark snatched to folder away.

"I said the deal was off!" Then his eyes widened as Estu drew his sword, the sound of steel cutting through the air.

"I didn't want to do this, but… the files, or your life." Mark laughed. _What's so funny?_

"Ha, ha. See… you are here to kill me! For the files!" _Not this again! I don't have time!_

"Don't you get it? You'll die tonight if you don't get out of here. Now, give me the files!" As Estu said this, the lights in the bar flickered out, plunging the two into darkness_. No!_ _I'm too late!_

* * *

><p>After walking through the archway, Vincent examined a stone wall, etched in the strange glowing symbols. "Can anyone read these?"<p>

"It's probably not that important," Tifa said. Vincent shook his head.

"I think these are instructions… of course, I'm not entirely sure, but-" Vincent looked over at Reno, who was tracing his right index finger along one of the symbols. Suddenly they glowed brighter. They all stared as the symbols somehow rearranged themselves, shifting and changing into the modern language. Reno looked taken aback.

"Did I do that?" he wondered. Tifa walked up, reading the stone wall out loud.

"Three trials you must face, to prove your worth. The first – a trial of knowledge. The second- a trial of trust or speed. The third – a trial of good intentions… to obtain the sacred orb…" Tifa scrunched her eyes.

"What the heck does any of that mean?" Yuffie asked. Vincent had been wondering the same thing.

"Knowledge… trust or speed?...And good intentions… Do you think it translated right?" Tifa asked.

"Let's just get on with this… So Knowledge is first." Reno said. They walked through another archway into a room. In the room, there was a sealed door on the opposite side, and several large stone tablets on the floor. Each was inscribed with a word: Chaos, Omega, Lifestream, Gaia. Around the room, there were four indentations in the walls, each with a few words above - hints.

"I guess we put the tablets in the right place," Tifa said. Yuffie read one of the wall indentations.

"'The mother, the home, the creator of the sacred orb'… So, the planet? Gaia?" Yuffie picked up the tablet with some difficulty, but placed it into the indentation. The tablet and stone fused together. Across the room, the door leading to the next rose up about an inch.

"Nice… this one says 'the energy of the planet, the river of souls…' So, the Lifestream." Tifa picked up the tablet and placed it in its place. The door rose a bit more.

Vincent stepped over to the one labeled 'Chaos.' He looked at the two remaining indentations. "The harbinger of destruction… The end of days," he read. _Sounds about right…_ He picked the tablet up, left hand shaking slightly, and placed Chaos's tablet into the wall. The door rose a bit more.

Reno examined the last stone tablet – Omega. "Has to go in the last one…" he muttered, picking it up and putting it in the wall. The words above it 'The gatherer of life, the transporter, the savior…' glowed. The door rose up the rest of the way, allowing them to enter the next room. _Trust or Speed… what does that even mean?_

* * *

><p>"The lights? Where'd they go?" Mark asked<em>. Too late, too late.<em> Estu was, as much as he hated to admit it, scared. Time was up, and he was still in the bar, trying to get what he had come for. He tried again to grab the files, the cover of darkness on his side. But Mark had a strong grip, and the sudden motion only provoked further panic. "NO! You can't have them."

"Let go!" Estu held his sword so it just barely nicked Mark's arm. The older man gasped in pain, but didn't release the files. A siren rang out from across the street. Estu ignored it, trying to pull the files away. Mark held them with both hands, refusing to give them up.

"Why? Why won't you give them to me?" Estu pulled the files. He heard a small tearing sound, and let go, afraid they would rip. Mark stumbled backwards several paces, smiling victoriously. But his success was cut short by the sound of breaking glass. Mark turned, finding himself face to face with some of the Deepground foot soldiers, who were climbing through a window. Mark dropped the files, picked up one of the bar's chairs and threw it at the soldiers. Estu took the opportunity to grab the files. He ran out of the tavern as a fight broke out between the soldiers and Mark.

The sound of gunshots from the bar split the night air. As Estu ran past the tavern, in his peripheral vision he saw Mark fall limply to the ground. _They killed him… They actually killed him…_

* * *

><p>The room in front of them split into several hallways, which split into more paths, which split into more paths... They ended up doubling back and changing direction more times than Vincent cared to count.<p>

"This is ridiculous," Yuffie complained.

"At least there aren't as many monsters as we thought there'd be," Tifa cheerily pointed out.

"I'd almost prefer monsters… this is just annoying."

"At least it's safe, though."

Traveling through the maze of halls was tiring and tedious, so despite Vincent's uncertainty of the meaning behind 'Trust or Speed' he was glad when they finally reached the second challenge. The room in front of them was long, stretching out as far as Vincent could see in the dim light of the symbols. A small pedestal stood near the entrance, a materia rested on it. Yuffie looked at it, excitedly.

"Is this it? The Proto-Materia?" she asked.

"…" Vincent walked over to part of the wall that had their language on it. He read quietly to himself. "'The trust that you will follow instruction, the test lies here. Touch not the orb or the test will become one of speed…' Don't touch the orb?" He looked at Yuffie who was about to pick up the materia. "Yuffie! Don't touch that." She turned, her arm brushing against it.

The room began to shake violently. "He said not to freaking touch it!" Reno shouted over the rumbling.

"I didn't! I- ah!" Sections of the wall began to move, closing in on them. _A test of speed… oh shit._

"Run," Vincent said. They sprinted towards the other side of the room as wall moved around. The room twisted, and sections rose out of the floor, forcing them to jump as section after section of walls closed in on them. Yuffie sprinted and jumped over one platform, only to trip over another, which rose up suddenly. Vincent turned back, and helped her to her feet.

He was about to keep running with her when the wall behind them closed up around his cape. He hastily started to unclasp buckles, but with only one free, shaking hand. Yuffie grabbed the part of the cloak that wasn't caught, and pulled it, ripping it in half. They ran, even further behind Reno and Tifa now.

They both stumbled as more sections rose and lowered. One of the wall sections dropped suddenly, crushing Vincent's leg. Yuffie turned back, looking at him in horror. "Keep going! You don't have time!" Vincent said through his pain. Yuffie shook her head, shrugging off her arm guard. She slipped it under the wall, wedging it up, giving Vincent enough room to shake his crushed leg free. Yuffie slipped his arm over her body, trying to run for both of them. Pain shot up Vincent's leg with each step. Reno and Tifa, who stood at the end of the room, were propping the walls open with fallen rocks, their own supplies and armor, anything they could use. It wasn't very effective, but gave Vincent and Yuffie just enough time to make it through the doorway.

They dove through, sliding across the floor, still clinging together. Tifa and Reno stepped back, both looking relieved. "You guys are all right…" Tifa sighed.

Vincent sat up and winced as more pain shot through his leg. He stayed still, giving the injury a moment to heal. Yuffie was breathing quickly and still shaking from the adrenalin rush. Vincent smiled slightly at her.

"Thank you for helping me back there," he said quietly to Yuffie. "I would be in trouble if you hadn't-"Yuffie suddenly leaned towards Vincent. Vincent's eyes widened as she pressed her lips into his. He drew back, shocked by the sudden kiss. "Yuffie!"

"Ah! Oh, I'm such an idiot! I'm sorry!" Vincent stared at her. "I'm… such an idiot… I…" They both sat awkwardly until Reno cleared his throat.

"Could we please, just, freaking, move on?" he asked. Vincent and Yuffie stood, each taking a small step away from the other.

"Can we pretend that didn't happen?" Yuffie whispered.

"..."

"It was just... impulsive... I didn't... I know you don't like me... I just..."

"It's fine," Vincent said.

"So, we can forget about it?" she asked. Vincent nodded. _It will be much easier that way._ Vincent tried to wrap his cloak around himself, only to realize most of it was gone. He sighed and took what was left of his cape off, throwing it unceremoniously to the ground.

* * *

><p>Estu tucked the files into his jacket as he ran through the city<em>. They killed him, they killed him… and they saw me!<em> He looked for somewhere to go, some place to hide. In the darkness, he saw another group of soldiers heading towards him. Estu slipped behind an alleyway trash can. He held his breath as they marched by. "Phew…" he sighed softly.

"Wait! There was a kid that ran by here," one of the foot soldiers said. _Crap!_ Estu curled up, trying to hide. "He had something, some paper, looked important, probably stolen."

"Fine, spread out and look for him." Estu quietly crawled around the building. He spied a ladder leading up to a roof. _Should I climb? No, if I ran into trouble up there, I'd have nowhere to go. I'd have to…ugh, jump._ He shuddered at the thought. Climbing was out of the question, so he had nowhere to go._ I need to fight my way out of this._ Estu took a deep breath and drew his wakizashi.

He heard footsteps from around the building. Estu gripped the wakizashi tighter. Three soldiers turned the corner of the building. Estu ran towards them. Striking quickly, he slashed at them with the wakizashi, injuring them before they even had the chance retaliate. He ran away as reinforcements approached the injured soldiers. Estu didn't even notice his surroundings; he was operating purely on adrenalin. After running towards the center of town, he came to a stop, finally looking around.

He was at the Central Junon Skyscraper. Unsurprisingly, there were more soldiers. A bald man with sunglasses was fighting several of them using nothing but his fists. Surprisingly, he was actually doing okay. A few of the soldiers surrounded a dark-haired man in a blue suit. A man with harsh eyes and orange hair spoke to him. "Well Reeve, it looks like this is the end of the line_." I recognize that voice…_ _Argento!_ A sudden wave of rage passed through Estu, and with uncharacteristic anger, he ran towards Argento, sword gripped firmly in his hand. He thrust the wakizashi at Argento, who deftly jumped back.

"Wha- Who the hell are you supposed to be?" Argento glared at Estu, drawing twin swords.

"I'm…" Estu began, but shook his head. _Why am I doing this? I'm going to get myself killed!_ "I'm not going to let you take over this city." Argento stared at him, then laughed.

"_**You're **_not going to _**let me**_? Please… why don't you just go home to your parents," he said. _Why do people keep telling me that?_ Estu tried to glare back, but he had trouble holding the gaze.

"I'm not going anywhere. I won't let you kill this man." Argento raised an eyebrow.

"How do you know…? Well, never mind that. Kill them both," Argento told the soldiers, stepping back. The surrounding soldiers moved forward. Estu slashed at them, again before they had the chance to attack. After a few good swings, he managed to take them down. Argento watched in surprise.

"Well, you're a good fighter then… Heh, I guess it's my turn."

"This doesn't have to end badly. Just leave… we don't have to fight." Estu held his sword lower, completely exhausted from the last few battles. Argento seemed to notice his fatigue.

"You look pretty worn out. Are you sure you can defend yourself?" He struck with both swords, spinning about as he attacked Estu. Estu used his wakizashi to deflect the blows, but Argento drove him backwards. Argento hopped back, then swung one of his blades in a powerful attack. Estu raised his sword to block, but the force of the attack knocked it right out of his hand. Argento, intending to gloat, kicked Estu to the ground, sheathed one of his swords, and picked up the wakizashi.

"Hmmph! See, no one can match my fighting skills. Especially not some kid," he said, pointing at Estu with his own blade. While Argento was distracted, Reeve picked up one of the fallen soldiers' guns. He fired it at Argento, but missed. Argento turned back towards Reeve, using one of his swords to knock the gun away.

"Honestly, have you never shot before? Well, no matter… goodbye, Reeve." Argento raised Estu's wakizashi and stabbed Reeve through the heart. Reeve gasped, touching the sword that impaled him before falling to the ground.

* * *

><p>Vincent, Tifa, Yuffie, and Reno approached the room that held the last challenge<em>. A test of good intentions… I really hope this one isn't so life threatening. Especially after…<em> He glanced at Yuffie, who despite her normal brashness was still avoiding his eyes out of shame.

The room was smaller than the last, and completely round. The glowing symbols on the walls seemed to dance around, shifting excitedly across the wall. A large glowing crystal stood at the center. Tifa read the room's instructions.

"'Intentions shall be judged… Present… souls? Present souls to the crystal to show and be judged'… this place needs a better translator."

"Kinda reminds me of when they try to translate a good video game into Wutaian. The real hard parts are getting past the language mistakes," Yuffie said.

Reno walked up the the mentioned crystal. "So this thing?" Tifa shrugged.

"I guess so."

"Well how the hell do you 'present souls?' " he asked, poking at the crystal. It shone brightly, tuning first bright white, then red. "Er…"Symbols around the wall glowed crimson as well. They formed a single word: Apathy. "Okay… that didn't work…"

Yuffie walked over, placing a hand on the crystal. It again turned red. The symbols formed a new word: Greed. She looked at it, confused, then sighed.

Tifa and Vincent both placed their hands on the crystal at once. It glowed red, the word on the wall proclaiming 'Revenge.' Tifa sighed, "I think I get what's going on here. It can see our reasons for wanting the Proto-materia."

"So what was with mine?" Reno asked. "Apathy's not a reason."

"But you don't really want it, you're just following Reeves orders," Tifa pointed out. "So you don't want it, so you don't pass. Yuffie wants it because it's powerful, so she doesn't pass. Me and Vincent want it because it will help avenge Barret's and Elena's deaths."

"And I'm curious about it, what it has to do with Chaos…" Vincent said quietly. Tifa looked up, surprised.

"What?" she asked.

"I'm curious… why?" Tifa thought for a moment.

"Could you, just you, touch the crystal again?" Vincent nodded, poking it. The crystal glowed red, but this time showed 'Curiosity' as his motivation. _It was different that time. Strange._

"That's … weird," Yuffie said.

"Don't you get it? It picks whatever reason is strongest, but goes to whatever's second strongest if two people touch it and have that reason in common," Tifa said, excitedly.

"So?"

"So… maybe all together, the answer would be different. What's the reason we all have in common?"

"We want to… stop Deepground?" Reno asked.

"Save the world!" Yuffie said.

"Exactly! That's a good reason, right?" Tifa smiled. "So, all together. One, two, three." They all touched the crystal at once. It lit up green. The ceiling above them opened, and the room lifted up, like a giant elevator.

* * *

><p>Estu stared, horrified as the man in blue slid off of his sword, dead. Without knowing why, Estu stood, facing Argento. Argento cackled madly, poking at Reeve's corpse with Estu's wakizashi.<p>

"Ha! Who's in control now, Reeve? Who's the greatest warrior in the world? I am! I beat you, the world leader! I won!" Estu ran at Argento, trying to grab his sword back. Argento grabbed him by his collar and threw him several yards. Estu rolled to a stop. _I can't do this… he's got my only weapon… I can't die now. Not like this! _Estu shakily stood again, raising his fists. Argento laughed.

"Now you're going to punch me? It's a shame I've got to kill you, kid. You're entertaining." Estu attempted to hit Argento, but was met with another kick, knocking the wind out of him. Argento swung Estu's sword towards him. Estu tried to jump back, but the blade still sliced across his cheek. Hot, thick blood poured from the wound. Estu fell back, holding a hand over the cut_. No… not like this!_ He stood again, swaying. _Not like this, please not like this…_

"Do you ever give up? Hmmph, you know… you remind me a bit of my brother. I hate my brother," Argento held both Estu's sword and one of his own. He swung with both. Out of options, Estu closed his eyes, bracing himself.

Clang! Estu heard the sharp sound of metal against metal. He opened his eyes. A boy with brown hair was holding a steel staff, blocking Argento's attack. Argento stared at the boy furiously. He moved quickly, spinning and attacking, but the boy matched his movements perfectly, blocking attack after attack. Argento began to slow, and the boy, as if sensing his enemy's weakness, began to move offensively. In a well placed swing, he managed to knock Estu's wakizashi right out of Argento's grip. The sword fell to the ground, and Estu dove for it while the other boy fought Argento.

With his sword back, Estu helped the other boy fight. The moved around Argento, who was defending himself with both swords. "Help, you idiots!" Argento shouted to the surrounding soldiers, a few of them ran over, shooting at the two boys. The boy with the staff turned to Estu.

"Come on, we gotta get out of here!" Estu nodded, and both of them ran, Estu following after the boy. They passed a group of soldiers, still fighting the bare fisted bald man.

"Rude! Come on!" the boy shouted. Rude nodded, and followed. Estu tried to keep up, but he'd been running everywhere all day, and blood still dripped from his cheek. He stumbled, colors swimming in front of his eyes. Rude picked him up, tossing him over his shoulder. _Let go! Let go, you- who are you?_ Estu's vision blurred. _Let go… _Estu passed out.

When Estu came to, he was inside a building. Inside a very small room, to be precise. There were steel sliding doors and a lot of buttons. It took him a moment, but he realized he was in an elevator, on the floor. The brown haired boy stood beside him.

"Are you okay?" he asked. Estu nodded even though he felt light headed and the cut on his cheek was burning. He searched around for his sword, which held a restore materia. The other boy noticed him looking, and handed him the blade.

"Thanks," Estu said, activating the restore spell, focusing the magic on the cut.

"I'm Denzel, by the way."

"Estu," Estu said awkwardly, examining his face in the steel doors. Even though the cut was healed, there was a small scar on his cheek.

"Estu… that's an, um, interesting name," Denzel said. '_Interesting'… people usually say that when they mean 'weird.'_

"Where are we going?" Estu asked.

"Top floor… we just need to get up there and wait for Cid… oh, Cid Highwind, I mean. You know, the pilot? Rude… that was the bald guy, said he needed to go back and find Mr. Reeve." Estu felt his stomach drop.

"Reeve…"

"Yeah, he's the leader of WRO. Good friend of ours."

"You're… friends?" Estu asked. Denzel nodded.

"I've known him for a while… why are you looking like that?" Estu didn't say anything. He watched in the door's reflection as Denzel's expression changed, becoming worried.

"Estu… did something happen?" he asked. Estu looked downward. _Reeve... Reeve is dead.._. The elevator doors opened with a ding. He found himself in a room lined with computers. All of them turned off, as well as the main lights. _This building must have an emergency generator, just not enough to power everything. _Without a word, he followed Denzel up another flight of stairs and through a door, out to the roof. Estu looked around nervously. _Don't look down. Don't look down._ He glanced over the side of the building, barely able to see the ground. _Crap… why are we so high up?_

A sudden gust of wind blew Estu back. A large airship descended until it was only twenty feet above them. A ladder rolled down.

"Okay, let's climb up," Denzel said. Estu shook his head.

"I – I can't."

"Why not? It's easy. I mean, I understand if you're tired, with all the fighting and stuff, but-"

"No, you don't understand… I-" Estu was interrupted by the door behind them busting open. Rude ran though.

"They're right behind me. We need to go," Rude said.

Denzel started climbing the ladder. Rude stared at Estu… or at least, Estu thought he was staring. He couldn't see though the shades.

"Go," he said. Estu looked at the ladder. _I can't!_ But just as he thought that, Rude shoved him up the ladder. Estu gripped the rungs, terrified of falling off while Rude was rushing him.

Rude shouted up the ladder, "Denzel, Tell Cid to go ahead_!" What? NO! Please tell me we aren't taking off now_. But the airship started moving. Estu scrambled up the ladder as it swayed, only taking time to breathe when he was at the top. _Airship… I'm on an airship…_

"I think I'm going to be sick…" he said quietly. Denzel laughed.

"What, are you afraid of heights or something?" Denzel walked over to Rude, helping him into the ship before pulling the ladder up. After a moment, Denzel looked at Rude, confused.

"Where's Reeve?" he asked. The bald man stared down at his feet.

"… Denzel… Reeve… is dead."

* * *

><p>In the new room, a set of stairs led up to another pedestal. Bright light from the surrounding symbols obscured Vincent's view, but he just knew, that this was where the materia was. He turned to Tifa, Reno, and Yuffie. They each gave a nod, and together, they climbed the stairs. Vincent couldn't help but smile. After all the work of getting through the labyrinth, here was their reward.<p>

Yuffie ran ahead, eager to see the materia. When she got to the top, she gasped.

"No!"

Vincent's heart sank._ What's wrong?_ He ran up the stairs, trying to see what Yuffie was freaked out about. Then he saw it – the Proto- Materia… or rather, what was left of it.

A single shard… perhaps a third of a sphere sat on the pedestal.

"It's broken," Vincent said quietly. All that work had been for nothing.

* * *

><p>On board the ship, Estu had done his best to explain what had happened with Reeve. A little girl with a pink bow in her hair started to cry, and Denzel went to comfort her. Both the pilot, Cid, and the Turk, Rude, wore forlorn expressions of disbelief. Neither of them entirely ready to accept their friend's death. Rude had placed a suitcase open on the floor. It contained what looked like a broken cat toy. He stood over it, sadly. Almost as if the cat was Reeve. Estu didn't understand why.<p>

Even though he hadn't known Reeve, Estu felt guilty. _Two people died in front of me today… I couldn't save either. Reeve... Mark... Still… at least I got something from all this..._ he reached into his coat, running a finger along the folder.

Estu spent a few minutes convincing himself that he was safe on the ground, then found a quiet corner of the airship to examine the folder. An address in Nibelheim was on the front, and the string was still tied around the folder. A bit of his blood had gotten on the front, but it didn't get inside the cover. Estu eagerly unraveled the string, opening the files he'd worked to get.

When he opened them, the only words were a long string of gibberish. Random letters strewn about, with neither rhyme nor reason. _They're… in code?_ Estu flipped through the papers, all of them coded. He had never expected this.

The entire folder was ciphered. Estu couldn't read any of it. All that work had been for nothing.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I'm sorry Reeve fans... I'm really sorry. And Cait Sith fans, since this means he won't be making a proper appearance. Also, Mark fans... I don't think those exist, considering he was an oc I kept around for just a few chapters... but if you were a Mark fan, then I'm sorry. And to fans of any pairing other than ... what do they call it? Yuffentine? Well, if you were hoping for a different pairing, the kiss thing isn't going to take over the story, so there's that. So, if you aren't mad at me for killing your favorite character or prefered shipping, then tune in next Friday for another chapter.**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: It's Friday somewhere, right? This chapter has more cursing than usual... I feel like I need some Orbit gum now, even though the f-bombs are still censored, like in the original game. It's also shortish, since I've had very little time to write this week... **

* * *

><p>Estu stared at the papers for a while, but he couldn't make sense of the code. There were five blank spaces, probably for letters of a code word, at the top of the first page. Estu guessed that the word could help decipher the code, but with no idea of what the word was, he couldn't read the files. Frustrated, he tucked the files back into his jacket<em>. Now what? I have no idea what I can do now<em>… Estu lamented his weeks of wasted work.

To help clear his thoughts, he decided to walk around the airship. It was strange, but as long as he didn't look out a window, he could convince himself he was just in a building. Unfortunately, there were windows everywhere. Still, Estu was able to keep his eyes down; he was used to doing that anyway. He made his way to the control room, where his strange rescuers were. Denzel, the boy who helped him fight Argento, was helping the pilot with controls. Rude was speaking with the pilot in hushed tones.

"I still can't believe he's…" Rude said quietly. The pilot nodded, eyes distant and unfocused.

"Poor fellow won't even get a decent burial, all we've got is the damn cat," the pilot said with a half smoked cigarette hanging from his mouth. Rude looked sadly at the cat toy in the briefcase. Estu wasn't sure why, but it was starting to remind him of a cadaver in a casket.

"…What are… we going to tell the others, Cid?" Rude asked.

"We'll tell 'em the #$%ing truth," the pilot, Cid, said bluntly. After he spoke, Cid took a last drag on his cigarette and threw it away.

"… We need to make contact… Reno… he would just go back to Junon…" Rude said.

"Call Tifa. She's good with this sort of shit."

"T-Tifa?" Rude's cheeks blushed.

"Can you do that?" Cid asked.

"…"

"Can you do that?" he repeated louder. "Would ya mind sayin' something?"

"…"

"God damn it! You're worse than Vincent sometimes."

"…sorry," Rude said, awkwardly leaving the control room.

The pilot sighed. "Denzel, go get my phone."

"Yessir," Denzel said. Denzel walked away from the controls, noticing Estu standing back, watching them. Denzel nodded. _What's he shaking his head for? Is that some sort of greeting? _ Estu looked down. Cid looked back at him for a moment before returning his attention to flying.

"You're still here, huh? So, what exactly is your plan?" the pilot asked.

"Er… me?" Estu asked. "Sir?" he added.

"Yeah, you. We're heading to Costa del Sol. So when we get there, what're you gonna do?"

"I… um…" Estu hadn't thought about it. Really, he hadn't thought about much aside from the files. He'd followed different leads for nearly two months, only to find a dead end_. Costa del Sol…_ He didn't think he'd be visiting again after so long.

"Do ya have somewhere to go? If you don't, well, the rest of us were lost souls at one point or another. I was the last one on board, if you can believe it. And we were a weird group… but, somehow, everything worked out all right in the end." Cid placed a cigarette in him mouth, but didn't light it. "We could always take you in; you work well with Denzel, from what I've been told. And you seem like a decent kid. At least you tried to save Reeve," he continued. _Except I wasn't really trying to protect Reeve… I'm not sure why I did what I did… _

"You tried to help Reeve… well, I guess we have more than enough room for ya now…" Cid's voice became quieter and more monotone, his eyes more distant. He paused for a moment, apparently waiting for a response. Estu gave none; he wasn't quite sure what to make of the stranger. Cid spoke up again. "So, what do ya think?" he asked._ He's seriously offering me a place with them? Is he insane? I'm a complete stranger. They're strangers to me. I have other options. I mean, there's always…_

"Actually, I know someone in Costa del Sol," Estu said_. She settled down there… said she missed going on vacation… missed the crowds. We haven't spoken in so long though._

The pilot leaned back a bit. "Ya know someone? Well, that's good. Just thought I'd offer."

"Yeah," Estu replied.

Denzel reentered the control room. "I've got it," he said. He brought the phone to Cid. Estu suddenly remembered what Zul had said about phones.

"How old is that?" he asked.

"The… phone?" Denzel asked back. Estu nodded. Denzel looked at Cid.

Cid scratched his head, thinking. "Pretty ancient for a cell, 'bout four years, I reckon. It's the same one I had back in the day. Why?"

"Deepground can track phones made in the last two years," Estu said.

"You're sure?" Cid asked.

"Yes," Estu answered.

"Shit… Denzel, can you find Rude, tell him to toss his phone overboard?" Denzel ran out of the room to look for Rude. Cid turned back to Estu.

"Do I even wanna know why you know that?"

"I spied on them…" Estu admitted. Cid seemed to accept his answer. The pilot kept a hand on the controls and with the other, lit the cigarette held between his teeth.

"It'll be a while before we get there. You should make yourself comfortable. And clean off that blood," Cid said. Estu looked at his shirt, part of it was stained a dark red. As he left the control room, he heard the pilot flip his phone open.

* * *

><p>Forlornly they walked, up passageways, up ladders, up stairs. Getting out of the labyrinth took nearly as much time as reaching the center. <em>All that effort, wasted.<em> All they had to show for it was a small crystalline fragment. Vincent led, moving up and up, until finally, they found a trap door leading to the outside world. He propped it open, finding himself under a slab of rock, suspended just high enough to crawl under. Vincent crawled, going through an opening on the side. He found himself back on the island's beach. The rocks only had one opening, which was hard to see. You would never be able to find it if you didn't already know it was there.

Night had fallen on the island. The moon cast silvery light, shining on the palm trees and rocks. Vincent sat on the sand, staring at the ocean. The waves rhythmically crashed against the beach. The others pulled themselves out of the rock. Tifa walked over and sat next to him. Neither of them spoke a word, but there was a mutual feeling of disappointment. Reno and Yuffie hung back, quietly leaning against the rocks. Several silent minutes passed before anyone spoke.

"We should get going," Tifa said.

"We didn't get what we came for…" Vincent said. Behind him Yuffie looked at the materia shard. Reno stood up, pulling his phone out of his pocket.

"We can report in… I'll call Reeve." He dialed the number and waited. An offbeat dial tone was all that answered. He scrunched his eyebrows and tried again, with the same result.

"Reeve's not answering?" Yuffie asked.

"No… did he go to sleep? He said he wouldn't… damn it, Reeve. Answer," he redialed the phone again. "I'll just leave a message this time… 'Reeve, you're a freaking asshole,'" he joked. There wasn't an answer. Reno glared at his phone, dialing again.

The entire group jumped at the sound of trumpet fanfare. Tifa reached into a backpack and pulled out her phone. "Hello?" she answered. _Is it Reeve on the other end? But why wouldn't he just call Reno?_ Tifa stood suddenly, walking away. Vincent looked up, inquiringly. _Where is she going?_ He quietly followed. They made their way towards the center of the island. When they were far enough away, Tifa checked behind her, rolling her eyes at Vincent for following. "Yeah, I'm alone... mostly." She paused, listening to the other end. "It's just Vincent." Vincent wondered who she was talking to.

"… What?" Tifa asked. She looked backwards at Vincent. She opened her mouth to say something, but stopped as the other line spoke again. Her eyes widened. Vincent listened carefully, but he couldn't quite hear the voice. Whoever was on the other line was purposefully being quiet.

"Are the kids okay?" Tifa asked, sighing in relief when she got a response. _What's going on?_

"Tifa, who is that?" Vincent asked. She ignored him, listening quietly to the other speaker.

"…You can't be serious… No…" She looked troubled.

"… but … I don't believe that… you're telling the truth? … I…" Tears were gathering in her eyes. Vincent stood, watching her. Tifa held the phone out to him.

"Who is this?" he asked.

"Vincent? That you?" It was Cid. He sounded strangely monotone and sober.

"What's going on?" Vincent asked. He heard a static-like sound as Cid exhaled into his phone.

"We were attacked a few hours after you left. Reeve is dead." Vincent blinked, sure he had heard wrong. "We had to get out. Denzel and Marlene are alright… But…" Cid sighed again. "Listen, tell Reno he's got to fly to Costa del Sol. That's where we'll meet y'all."

"Cid…"

"Listen, Vince, this is important. Before you go, ditch every phone that's less than two years old."

"Leave… why? Are you … is all of that true?" He already knew it was true. Cid wouldn't lie about something like that. He just had trouble believing it.

"It's true," Cid said. "So… that's it then. We'll meet you in Costa del Sol. Remember the phone thing." Cid hung up.

Vincent held the phone out. Tifa took it back. "What are we going to tell everyone?" she asked.

"… I don't know. Maybe we shouldn't say anything just yet."

"Not tell everyone? You're sure?" She asked worriedly.

Vincent shrugged. "I'm not saying anything…" Vincent looked through the palms at Yuffie and Reno. Reno was still dialing Reeve's number. Vincent suddenly realized that no one would ever answer. He took a breath and thought about what they were supposed to do. "Cid said to go to Costa del Sol… Reno can fly us there. But we need to get rid of every phone that's less than two years old, for some reason."

"I think that's everyone's," Tifa said. She and Vincent started to walk back to the rocks. When they got back, Reno was waiting expectantly.

"Was that Reeve?" he asked. Vincent looked at Tifa. _I won't talk… she doesn't look like she will either._

"It was Cid," Tifa said quietly. "He said we need to meet everyone in Costa del Sol. And get rid of your phone. He didn't say why."

"Er… okay… Why didn't Reeve answer?" Vincent shrugged, unable to meet Reno's eyes and lie. Reno tossed his phone aside.

"All right, but they owe me a new phone. Do you want to leave now?"

"Yes," Tifa answered. They all climbed into the helicopter. Vincent sat with Tifa in the back this time. As they took off, he reached into his pocket, and threw his phone into the ocean.

* * *

><p>Estu gave up trying to get the blood out of his shirt. He zipped his jacket up and cleaned his cheek off, hiding the worst of it. He walked out of the washroom and found a quiet, windowless spot. He sunk down, exhausted from the night's fighting and drifted into an uneasy sleep, dreams haunted by the man in black and the crashing plane.<p>

Some time later, he groggily opened his eyes. He stood, fixed his hat and walked back to the control room. The pilot rubbed his eyes and yawned as Estu approached him.

"Are we about there?" Estu asked.

"Yeah… look, you can see land on the horizon."

Estu looked, ignoring his vertigo. He could just barely see Costa del Sol, lit up by the morning sun.

Within a few minutes, Cid landed the airship on a cliff near the outskirts of town. Estu disembarked, blinking in the sunlight. He looked down at the town. Costa del Sol was just starting to wake up. A few beachgoers were getting an early start on their vacations while shopkeepers set out their wares, hoping to attract tourists with cheap, but colorful souvenirs. It was quiet now, but Estu knew that around midday, the coastal town would turn into a loud, crowded, ungodly nightmare of a tourist trap.

Estu jumped when he noticed someone standing next to him. Denzel, leaning slightly on his staff, spoke to him. "So, you're leaving." It wasn't a question, but a statement. Estu nodded. "It was nice meeting you," Denzel said. Estu didn't reply, he turned and began his walk towards Costa del Sol, thought already on his next move. _What was that shop she worked at… ? I don't remember, but I think I know where it was._

When he reached the city, the air had grown much warmer. He wanted to remove his jacket, but knew that people would panic when they saw his bloodstained undershirt. So Estu did his best to walk in the shade and ignore beads of sweat dripping into his eyes. _I wonder if it's always hot here… It's almost winter, but I'm burning up._ He found the quiet souvenir shop and entered, grateful for the blast of air conditioning that greeted him. A shop keeper in the back waved.

"Come on in! Every keepsake you need is right here!" He spoke jovially, but seemed confused by Estu's attire. He didn't really look like he was on vacation.

"Actually, I'm looking for someone – a girl named Ami. She worked here a few years ago." A colorful necklace caught Estu's eye. He picked it up, examining the pattern of beads.

"Ami… oh, the Wutaian girl? Yes, I remember… Do you like that necklace? Only 15 gil!"

"Do you happen to know where she is now? Did she come back to work for you?" Estu asked, putting the necklace back. The shopkeeper looked down, a bit sadly.

"No… she never did. Such a pity, she was a good sales girl. Always so friendly. She started working with the shop on the corner of Palm Street."

"Palm Street… thank you," Estu said, turning to leave the store.

"Aren't you going to buy anything?" The shopkeeper asked, annoyed.

* * *

><p>Reno landed the helicopter on the cliff. Vincent looked at Cid, Marlene, Denzel, and Rude. <em>It was really true. Reeve isn't with them.<em> They got out of the helicopter and walked over to the others. Tifa hugged Marlene, while Denzel stood back, hands in his pockets. Reno looked around, then turned to Rude.

"Where's Reeve?" he asked. Rude said nothing. Cid glared at Vincent and Tifa. The look's meaning was clear: 'You didn't tell him?' Reno looked over at Cid questioningly.

"Where _is_ Reeve?" Yuffie asked, just as clueless. Cid swallowed, then turned to Yuffie.

"Reeve is dead," Cid said. The sentence didn't sound real anymore, he had said it so much. Yuffie stared silently.

"D- Dead?" she finally asked in disbelief. Cid quietly nodded. Reno stood back, his mouth agape.

"How… I mean, we just saw him yesterday," Reno said.

"Deepground attacked Junon. Since it was only me and Rude… it didn't end well."

"I- I … I don't believe this… You can't be serious. There's no way," Reno stuttered. He looked at Rude, expecting him to say Cid was lying. The Turk looked down sadly. "Rude… Cid? Guys… You can't be serious…" He looked between the two of them, then turned to Vincent and Tifa.

"You two knew… didn't you? That was the phone call you got." He was shaking and his eyes were wide with shock.

"Yes," Vincent replied.

"'Yes'… 'Yes?' Is that all you have to #$%ing say? Why didn't you tell me? What the hell is wrong with you? What's wrong with both of you?" he shouted.

"It was my idea… not telling you. Don't yell at Tifa," Vincent said, moving between Reno and the others.

"Well, in that case- What the hell for? Why didn't you tell me?"

"It would compromise your ability to fly. We needed to get here soon, so-"

"Wait… 'compromise my ability?' What the #$%^ is that supposed to mean? That's why you didn't tell me?"

"You don't take shock very well…" Vincent said. Reno raised his fist threateningly.

"Reno," Rude said. Reno turned on him.

"Dammit, Rude. Can't you see how this is?"

"…How is it?"

Reno threw his arms up, turning back. "I don't believe this…" He walked towards the helicopter. "I don't believe any of this!" He punched it, the held his fist in pain. "Damn it… Come on Rude, we're leaving."

"Leaving?" Rude asked. Cid shook his head.

"Calm your ass down. You're staying for the funeral," Cid ordered.

"We don't have a body…" Denzel said quietly. Reno looked at him angrily.

"You couldn't even get his body? … God, did I just say that? Reeve's body? …Holy shit…" he shook his head. "I'm leaving now. Rude, let's go." Reno climbed back into the helicopter. "Rude! I said let's go." Rude glanced back before boarding the helicopter. Still glaring at the group, Reno took off.

"Reeve is gone… I can't believe it," Yuffie said. "And now Reno and Rude…" She and the others watched the helicopter fly away.

* * *

><p>Estu silently walked to Palm Street until he reached the corner. He read the sign on the shop out loud. "'Wutai Wares'… you've got to be joking." He stepped inside, slinking behind a shelf. He looked around the corner at the workers. A dark haired girl wearing a purple, Wutai style kimono was stacking supplies on the shelves. Estu smiled.<p>

"Ami!" he whispered. The girl looked around. "Ami, right here!" He waved from behind the shelf. The girl's grey eyes widened.

"Estu?" she asked. She looked back at another girl, sitting, leaning her head against her arm. She gestured to a back room. Estu nodded, quietly moving to the room with her. He closed the door of the room and turned to Ami.

"What the HELL are you doing here?" she asked. Estu shrunk back, holding his palms up.

"Nice to see you too. And what's with the kimono? You hate those things."

"I'm half Wutaian. I can wear a kimono if I want," she said snippily. _Estu resisted the urge to laugh. Just because you can, doesn't mean you'd want to, Ami._

She tapped her foot impatiently. "Now, what are you doing here?" she asked.

Estu twiddled his thumbs. "Well… I kind of need your help," he admitted. The girl raised an eyebrow and turned away.

"What makes you think I'll help you?" she asked.

"Because you're my sister?" Estu said uncertainly. Ami pressed her hand to her head, smoothing her hair back.

"Estu, I'm not your sister-"

"Yes you are," Estu said.

"No. I'm not," she insisted. _Why's she doing this?_

"Yes you are. I mean we have the same father."

"Just because _my_ dad brought _you_ home from who-knows-where doesn't mean he's _your_ father," she said coldly. The words stung a bit. Estu had always thought of the man who raised him as his father, just as much as he thought of Ami as his sister. She had always treated him like family, at least, she had before. And when he was alive, her father had called Estu 'son.' Estu looked down dejectedly.

"Dad seemed to think differently…" he muttered.

"Don't call him that," Ami said.

"What? 'Dad?'" Estu asked.

"Yes. He wasn't your dad, he was mine," she said crossly. _Ami… I know we didn't part on good terms, but I had no idea she'd still be so bitter. I said I was sorry… even though I had nothing to apologize for._ Estu slowly exhaled.

"Fine… Well, _your_ dad made you promise that if I ever ran into trouble, you would help." Embarrassed, Ami twirled a strand of her hair. "Ami…please?" Estu asked. Her eyes softened a bit.

"Okay, just… come on. We can't really talk here," she said as she led Estu out of the room.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Like I said, shortish. I wish I had had more time... Also, no new chapter next week, and probably the week after. I've got papers to write and finals to take. But as soon as schools over, I'll probably be able to write two chapters a week, so it'll even out. Sorry, though.**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: I'm back! :) Anyway, its been... two weeks? That's a while. That's how long it took to post the first five chapters... kind of crazy. **

* * *

><p>Vincent stood back, observing, waiting, listening. But he didn't join his friends… or rather those who were left of the few people he could honestly call friends. Reno and Rude hadn't returned, so now Vincent, Cid, Tifa, Yuffie and the two kids were all that was left of AVALANCHE. The others were in mourning; they had decided to have a small ceremony of sorts for Reeve. Now they all stood near the cliff side, around a small hole. They would bury the suit case with Cait Sith… that was all they could do. That and say a few words on Reeve's behalf. Each took a turn, saying the same things about Reeve… talking about his accomplishments, his compassion, his work to better the planet, his friendship with them. But Vincent did not speak.<p>

Cid looked at him, after he had said what he wanted. "You gonna talk?" He had asked. Vincent shook his head. There was nothing he could say that hadn't already been said. And nothing said now would change the fact of Reeve's death. Cid and the others placed the suitcase into a hole they had dug. At least the poor cat would have a nice view. Final rites granted, they went back on board the air ship that Cid 'borrowed.' Everyone went back – except Cid. He stood, looking at the mound of dirt - the only current evidence of Reeve's death. Vincent began to follow the others to the ship, but Cid stopped him.

"Wait," he said. Vincent turned back towards him. He waited for a response, but Cid gave none. They just stood, each across the grave from the other. Perhaps a bit too late, Vincent noticed that Cid was clenching his fists.

* * *

><p>Ami led Estu to an apartment on the edge of town. They climbed several flights of stairs, Estu sweating bullets due to his jacket and steadily falling behind Ami. She casually glanced back on one of the landings. "Are you okay?" she asked as Estu dragged himself up a few more steps.<p>

"It's just… really… hot…" he replied, taking breaths between each word. The heat only grew as midday came and went, and the sun relentlessly beat down on the coastal town. From what Estu could remember, it had been the same way when they lived there… it wasn't a long time, a few weeks, but Estu remembered it as his least favorite home. Aparently, Ami had liked it a lot, though. She liked it enough to return.

Ami moved back towards the stairs and kept climbing; Estu grudgingly followed. "Just a few more flights. I'm sorry the elevator isn't working. It's been out for almost a week now." _Just my luck… this is so miserable._ He climbed two more flights of stairs before Ami stopped him. She reached under a mat and picked up a key. Estu briefly considered telling her that it was a horrible place to keep a house key, but decided against it after remembering how easily she had gotten angry with him back at the store. Ami opened the door slowly, peaking inside before signaling for Estu to follow her in.

"Okay," she said softly, "Just hang your coat up, I'll-"

"Ami?" A voice interrupted her. Ami stiffened, putting her arm out to stop Estu. He zipped his jacket back up and took a step back.

"Raye?" Ami tentatively called out. A tall, tan young man stepped out from a door on the other side of the apartment. He smiled, brushing back bleach blonde locks.

"Hey Aims," he greeted. _Aims…? That a nickname? Who is this guy? _The young man glanced over to Estu and asked, "Uh, who's the kid?" Ami looked back and awkwardly twirled a finger through her hair, thinking.

"He's Jessie's little cousin," she quickly lied. "She sort of asked me to watch him for the day." Estu stared at his feet. "He… um… he can't really be left alone… sorry."

"Aw! Lame, Ami. We were supposed to go to the beach when you got off work. I wanted to surf!" Ami twirled her hair, muttering a half hearted apology.

"Well, d'you wanna just hang out here?" he asked, still disappointed, but smiling. Ami shook her head.

"Actually, you should just go on… have a guy's day with your friends or something. He's kind of… He's afraid of strangers... and the beach, too. And I really need to watch him or he will get in trouble. He's not exactly… all there… so…"

"Oh… so he's a little… er…" He made an awkward gesture. _I'm a little what, exactly?_

"Jessie likes to use the word 'unique,'" Ami whispered, thought more than loud enough to hear. _Is she insinuating that I'm retard_ed? Estu wondered in annoyance.

"I see… well alright then. See ya, Ami." The young man walked out of the apartment, surfboard in tow. Ami closed the door, and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Sorry about that," she said.

"Who was that guy?" Estu asked, stepping away from the front door.

"Raye? My boyfriend," replied Ami. Estu raised an eyebrow, surprised.

"You have a boyfriend?" he asked, skeptically. Ami glared at him.

"I am eighteen years old, Estu. I can have a boyfriend if I want." _Funny, that's what she said about the kimono._

"So, you didn't tell him about me?" Estu asked.

"…It never really came up in conversation," she said. "I'm sorry, it's just – it would be weird, now, you know… telling him after all this time. We've been going out a few months now…"

"So you've been lying to him for a few months."

She shook her head. "No! I mean, kinda. I mean, not really, I just left some stuff out when I told him about my life," she said.

"A few things? So what did you tell him about yourself? Probably not a lot," he said. Ami looked down guiltily.

"I… I just told him I'd just moved here from the Eastern Continent – which was true. That I had lived here when I was younger – also true. That… that my dad had died a few months back… so really I just left you out…" Estu shrugged. Ami glared at him. "Don't be like that. It's not my fault. You're the one who left."

"Yeah, after you told me to," Estu countered. Ami twirled her hair, looking cross. Estu inhaled slowly. "I am… sorry, though."

"That's what you said…" she muttered.

Estu sighed and looked around the room. It was small, but nicely decorated; painted a bright cheery yellow with blue book shelves, a blue couch, and a wide window with flowing white curtains. Connected to the living room was a small kitchen, just a tiny stove, sink and refrigerator. Suddenly remembering how hungry he was, Estu moved over to the fridge.

"Mind if I grab something to eat?" he asked. He started digging through the leftovers, taking a box of fried rice and tipping it into his mouth.

"Hey! That was my lunch," Ami protested.

Estu swallowed and replied, "I haven't eaten since yesterday morning." Ami crossed her arms as he finished the rice and looked around for more food.

"Whatever. I'm changing out of this stupid kimono, then we can talk about… whatever you need help with, okay?" She walked over to her room, loudly shutting the door. Estu picked up a Banora apple from the refrigerator and settled onto the sofa.

"What's with the whole kimono thing anyway?" he asked, biting into the apple.

"It's just part of the job," replied Ami.

"Why sell Wutai stuff here anyway? Wouldn't people want stuff from the beach while they're here?" He heard Ami laugh from the other room. It was a nice sound, really - an actual happy laugh, not sarcastic, not bitter.

"You'd be surprised how much business we get," she said. "Mostly 'cause I'm the best employee ever. I can just look at someone and they'll start buying junk," she boasted. Estu rolled his eyes. _Right back to your normal, proud self… _He finished the apple and tried tossing it into the trash can in the kitchen, only just missing Ami as she exited her room.

"Hey, watch it," she said, now in a purple tank top and tan, tattered, knee-length shorts. She looked from her own clothes to Estu's. "Aren't you hot?" she asked. Estu nodded, unzipping his jacket and shrugging it off.

"Ah! Is that blood?" Ami asked, startled. Estu looked down at the dark red stain he'd been concealing under his jacket all day. _Shoot, I forgot about that_. Ami walked over and examined the shirt.

"It's fine…" he said, "I mean, it's my blood-"

"Is that supposed to be reassuring?" she asked. _Well I thought so_… She sat on the couch, distractedly braiding her hair into pigtails. "I'll go to the store. Get you a new shirt. And whatever else you need… I just… I'll talk to you when I get back," she said.

Estu looked up at her. "Why not now?" he asked.

Ami sighed, "Honestly, I'm having a really weird day. And I can't talk to you when you're all bloody, it's just gross."

"It's just blood…"

"Again, is that supposed to be reassuring?" _…Yes?_ "Look," she continued," Raye's got a few of his shirts and I think pair of shorts in the bottom drawer of my dresser… don't look at me like that, they're clean. Just wear those until I get back."

"Why're his clothes here?" Estu asked.

"I am NOT going to explain that to you…" she said blushing. "Anyway, please shower off and get rid of that shirt…" She looked back at him, worried. "How did you even manage to get hurt… never mind. I don't want to know right now. Just… I'm going to go get your stuff."

"Can you get me another hat?" Estu asked, staring cross-eyed at one of the strings that had come loose. Ami nodded, distractedly grabbing a messenger bag. "Black? And a new jacket? Mine's kind of torn up…"

"Yeah, sure," she responded, absent mindedly. She walked to the door, only looking back to gesture for Estu to get moving.

* * *

><p>"What is it, Cid?" Vincent finally asked. Cid looked up, glaring. He stepped across the mound of dirt, so he stood face to face with Vincent.<p>

"What the hell is wrong with you?" He was being completely serious. Vincent took a step backwards, but Cid, again, closed the distance between them. Vincent stepped back again, and looked at Cid in confusion. Cid repeated himself, "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"I don't know what you mean by that…" Vincent sighed.

"I mean," Cid said, a vein pulsing in his temple, "Why didn't you tell Reno and Yuffie that Reeve died? Why did you insult Reno and drive him off? Why didn't you say anything just now? Why are you being such a damn jackass?" He jabbed his finger at Vincent's chest.

"I am not a jackass."

Cid's nostrils flared. "Really?" he asked.

Vincent looked him in the eye and said quietly, "I already explained to Reno why I didn't tell him…"

Cid laughed bitterly, "Yeah, an' look how that turned out."

"It is not my fault the man has a temper… anyway, I don't see why you're acting like this."

"I'm actin' like what? Like I actually give a damn about my friends? Like I'm not a #$%ing dumbass who just had to drive off two of our allies?"

"You're mad at me for that?" Vincent asked.

"What gave ya a hint?"

Vincent blew a strand of hair out of his eyes. "I already told you why-"

"Yeah, yeah, somthin' about Reno's flyin'. You gave everyone that damn story. Didn't ya think, just for a moment, that that would hurt his pride? Didn't you think he might take offense to that? His boss bein' dead wasn't enough, was it? Couldn't try to help him, huh?"

"…What?"

Cid rolled his eyes. "You just had to be all icy. Why? You dropped the whole 'I don't care' persona a long time ago." _'I don't care persona'? What is this about?_

"You're mad at me because I'm not shaken by Reeve's death? Shouldn't you be happy that I'm taking this well?" Vincent asked.

"You ain't takin' anything well, you haven't reacted. Not at all."

"Not everyone can be as emotional as Reno…"

"Yeah, well not everyone can be as cold as you," Cid said, pushing Vincent back. Vincent stepped away, quickly regaining his balance.

"Highwind," Vincent warned. Cid ignored him, pushing him back again.

"Are you just cold and empty like that to your core? Is your heart made of ice?" Vincent glared and tried to push Cid back.

"Do you even have a heart?" Cid asked angrily. "Or did Hojo cut it out of you?"

That managed to set Vincent off. He lashed out, trying to punch Cid, hurt him in any way he could. Cid did the same. He hit hard, as did Vincent. Vincent didn't care if he got hurt, if he hurt Cid… in the moment all he felt was raw fury, perhaps the first time in years that his blood boiled. Cid punched Vincent squarely in the jaw. He staggered back a few steps, getting dangerously close to the edge of the cliff. "Enough, Cid," Vincent said, still shaking with rage. Cid looked down, trying to catch his breath. **Kill him.** Vincent's eyes widened. _What?_ He barely noticed his left hand tremble. **Kill him. Kill him!** "No," Vincent said quietly. Cid stared at him.

"No, what?" he coughed.

**Kill him! KILL HIM!** _NO!_ Cid stepped forward. "Get away from me!" Vincent shouted. Cid stopped, staring at Vincent, for a moment taken by surprise. Vincent tried to slow his breaths, calm himself down… it didn't seem to be working. No… it wasn't that… he wasn't even angry anymore. **Scared?** Vincent looked down at his left arm, now shaking violently. _ No… no… No! _Cid reached towards him. "I said get away!" Cid glared at him.

"Oh, screw you! You don't get to just yell after the fight's over," Cid said. Vincent shook his head, holding on to his own arm, desperately trying to stop the shaking. Cid reached towards him. "Look Vince-" he began, a bit more calmly. Vincent watched in horror as his left arm rose up on its own, slashing at Cid. The claw made contact with his arm, tearing through the sleeve of Cid's jacket, drawing blood.

He didn't know if it was just a reflex… like a knee jerk. He didn't know if it was because of anger… all he knew was Cid had pushed him back, and he was plummeting off the cliff, perhaps hundreds of feet into the water below. All he knew was that Cid had pushed him, but he had made him. Vincent had hurt him. But he hadn't meant to. Chaos, on the other hand… _I did it, but_ _I didn't do it_… Vincent thought, nearing the water. _How did this happen?_

* * *

><p>Estu sat on the floor of the kitchen, wearing Raye's clothes, much too large for him, and a towel, draped over his head in place of a hat. He bit into the second apple he had stolen from the refrigerator. The shiny glass of the oven showed his reflection. Strangely, the Estu in the mirrored surface seemed to be watching him, not directly, but in the edge of his vision, the same way Estu watched while talking to other people. Never direct eye contact… it was almost a rule of sorts for him. But now he got the same treatment from his mirrored image.<p>

Estu wondered if it was weird to be unnerved by his own reflection… not that he strived to be 'normal' in any sense of the word… he knew the effect he had on people, painfully aware of it, really. For whatever reason, people around him tended to become nervous, as if something about him set them on edge. Sometimes he would use that to his advantage, but now his reflection seemed to have the same effect on him. _Maybe I'm just crazy… Is it weird to wonder that?_

He looked at his face, the scar across his cheek stood out more than he'd noticed before. _That will be an interesting story to tell… _He didn't want to tell her anything, not when it had all ended in failure. All he had to show for everything he had done was a set of coded files. _I wonder if she's going to hate me more or less. A full year and I still haven't figured out what Dad meant by 'the connection.'_

_A full year… I can't believe it's been that long. _A year had passed since his dad's death. Even though the man was actually Ami's father by blood, he had loved Estu, protected him, and taught him how to get by in the world. In turn, Estu became rather attached. He had never said he loved his adopted father, but, looking back, he supposed he did. At the very least, he respected him. And he was possibly the only person in the world that Estu truly trusted.

He had hidden his sickness well. He didn't know how to explain to his children. He was a man of secrets, after all. It wasn't until his last week that Estu and Ami found out, not until he was too weak to leave his own bed. Ami had cried a lot at the time. Estu fought to hold back his emotions, retain his stoic demeanor, keep strong, not cry, not show his pain, _not cry_… It took a lot. It would have been easier to just get upset, but for reasons he didn't understand, he couldn't. Or perhaps he just didn't want to… he didn't know. He could still remember the last words though.

"Ami," he had coughed. "Ami… I need you to take care of your brother."

She shook her head. "Don't say that Dad! You're not going to die!"

"I know… you've only known him… a few short years… but…please…" he reached towards her, twirling her hair around his finger, a last, affectionate jab at her habit of doing the same when stressed or nervous. She couldn't do anything but beg, quietly.

"Please, Dad… don't…"

Their father turned to Estu. "I'm sorry… my son…" Estu said nothing. For once, he couldn't look his own Dad in the eye, even though he was usually the exception - him and Ami. "I'm sorry… I never got a chance… to tell you… where you came from…" Estu shook his head. He wished he could remember, but everything beyond the three years that he had stayed with them was like a blur. Not even like a blur, really, but like a cruelly blank canvas - white and foreboding and utterly empty.

"I wish…" he started, voice choked from holding back grief. "I wish I could remember."

"There… isn't time… now…" his father said. "What you need to do… find the connection… between you, Deepground, Hojo, Weiss…"

"Weiss?" Estu said, shakily. The name seemed oddly familiar. Almost like it came from a half forgotten dream. "So I should find him?" he asked.

"No," his father said, with sudden urgency. "You can't approach him directly. Just find what connects you… him...s…" he never finished the sentence. He coughed several times before weakly beginning again. "You... Weiss…_Weiss_…" He fell silent.

"Dad?" Ami said. "Dad… please…" she reached for his wrist. No pulse. Thin ribbons of green light encircled his body. Ami shook her head. "No! Don't leave me! Dad, please don't go!" Estu had stood, starting towards the door. "Please… You never got to say you loved me… you never said goodbye…"

Estu shivered in spite of the heat. Most days, he kept himself from thinking back to that day. He could only assume that Ami did the same. But she had gotten so upset with him… said that _her_ – that was the first time she emphasized ownership-_ her_ father had wasted his last words on him. He didn't understand why. He had told her she was being stupid… and she had told him to get out. So he left, not giving her any word for nearly a month. Finally his conscience got the better of him, but when he returned to their house, she was gone. A crumpled note underneath a rock was all that was left. A hastily written address in Costa Del Sol, a tiny blurb, just a few sentences saying she missed the sunshine, missed the crowds… Could the heat of the sun melt away the cold numbness that gripped her? Either way, he sent a letter, telling her not to respond. He had started traveling then, so there wouldn't be anywhere to send it to. After the first letter, he lost the address and couldn't remember it. So that was it… he didn't speak to her again until that day.

But that was all in the past… today, she seemed mostly receptive… mostly being the key word. _Maybe I still have a chance to get her on my side._

* * *

><p>A field of grass, an ancient oak, flowers – it was becoming almost routine for Vincent. He didn't move. He sat in the field, hoping to wake up soon. A clear, concerned voice rang in his ear. "You okay, Vincent?" Aerith asked. Vincent rolled his eyes. He didn't have time for his friend's ghost, or hallucination, or dream, or whatever this place was.<p>

"I fell off a cliff." It was a simple statement, though admittedly, not one that was said very often.

"You fell?" she asked. "People do a lot of falling… two of my friends fell right into my flower garden."

"That's not really funny," Vincent said bitterly. She shrugged.

"Yeah, I guess not, considering the circumstances." She sat next to him, toying with one of the flowers next to his arm. _I'm starting to hate flowers… do flowers just mean death and bad luck?_

"I'm really getting sick of this place," Vincent said. "What is this all, anyway? Some sort of Limbo? Purgatory? What's the point of it if I'm just going to get back up?" She blinked, confused.

"Do you really think it's that bad? I mean, you have to go somewhere, you know."

He shook his head. "No, I don't know… I don't know anything, anymore. Am I alive? Dead? Both? Neither? Do you know what that's like? No, you just make jokes about it." Aerith looked a bit upset.

"I'm sorry…" she said quietly. "I guess you're right. I don't really know… I was alive though, and now I'm not… does that count for anything?" There was a hint of sadness in her voice. Vincent felt guilty almost right away.

"Don't be sorry," he said. "I just… I think I'm going insane." He really did, or at the very least, he was losing control of himself, and he had no idea why. "I didn't mean to…" _I didn't mean to do so many things…_ She looked up at him, wide green eyes glowing with an eerie light, fringe of hair framing her face. She had always reminded him of Lucrecia, but he knew better now, knew that she was encased in her own prison, not truly alive or dead. Somehow, this resemblance made him feel worse.

"You told me that once… a long time ago. Do you remember, Vincent?" He looked up, confused. _Can she hear my thoughts here?_

"Pretty much. I mean, you can't really speak, you just think you are. So thoughts and words are really the same thing." _That's hardly fair._ Yes, though, he did remember the conversation they had… it wasn't long after he had joined the others. He didn't really fit in with everyone else, but she had reached out to him, much more that Nanaki or Yuffie or even Tifa.

"Yeah, I remember… I told you about me…her… no one else. Only you. And I told you back then that I didn't know what I was going to do after we found Hojo. You told me…"

"Keep on moving…" she said.

"You can get through anything…" he finished. "I'm not so sure anymore..." _I'm not sure about anything... If I'm not in control of my life, what's the point? What am I? My own person? Chaos's pawn? Why does this have to happen now? What does it mean? Perhaps I'm just weak... I'm weak and-_

"Quit brooding, it really makes you sound silly," she scolded. Vincent smiled a bit. _Maybe she's right. But there's still the matter of what happened on the cliff. Am I in control? I will be. I need to be._

"That's the spirit," she said. Vincent sighed.

"You know, that really isn't a fair power," Vincent said. She grinned.

"Yeah, but neither is immortality."

* * *

><p>Estu almost jumped when he heard the door open again. Ami strolled into the living room, then kitchen. Her lips quirked at the sight of him, towel on his head, still munching on the contents of her fridge. She tossed him a new pair of clothes. Estu looked at the shirt. "Orange."<p>

"Yeah, I know you like gray better, but they didn't have it. That okay?" _Anything would be better than orange… don't tell her that… _He nodded. He quickly dressed in the bathroom, then returned to the living room, adjusting a new hat.

"You're lucky it's October. They usually don't have anything but baseball caps and sun hats. The beanies are a winter special." _Too bad it doesn't feel like winter_… Estu sat down.

"So," Ami began, "What's going on with you?" Oh boy…

"It's kind of a long story… I'm not sure where to start… I guess, I'll just tell you what happened this week that got me here. The rest, well nothing much happened. Nothing important anyway. It was a few days ago that I got to Junon, I'd been exchanging letters with this guy named Mark…"

He told her about what had happened in Junon, about his deal with Mark, spying on Argento and Azul, the fight, the escape. Throughout his story, she had listened with a slightly worried expression.

"So… what's wrong then? I mean, you got the files you needed, right?" she finally asked. Estu stood and retrieved the folder from where he'd set it across the room. He handed it to her, and she opened it.

"Is this a code?" Estu nodded. "…And… you said that Mark… he died, right?" He nodded again.

"He tried to fight the Deepground soldiers. I just grabbed this and ran." Estu wondered if that made him a coward. I_ couldn't have done much… well I could have but… I told his stupid nephew to go find someplace safe. That's something right? Not really… _

"So… there really isn't anyone who can decode it?" Ami asked.

"You would need the password…" _I wonder if … what's his name… Tony? Maybe he knew… no. I doubt it. He never knew what I was there for._

"So what are you going to do now?" Ami asked.

"I don't really know. That's really why I came. I thought, maybe you'd have an idea."

"Maybe you should just sleep on it. I mean, you're a smart kid, you'll think of something, right?"

"Yeah, maybe," Estu said. In truth, he had the beginnings of a new plan, though he was sure that Ami wouldn't like it.

* * *

><p>Vincent opened his eyes. He studied the world around him, trying to get a feel for where he was. <em>Dark… but there's sunlight… rocks… ow.<em> His lungs were burning. He coughed, trying to expel the ocean water he must have breathed in. He felt a thud on his back, Cid sat near him, completely drenched as Vincent. _I fell in the water… did he pull me out?_

"Are you all right?" Cid finally asked. Vincent nodded, then realized how ridiculous he looked, saying he was fine right after drowning - the salty, bitter taste of the sea still lingering on his tongue. They were in the shade, sitting on a rock at the base of the cliff. _The cliff…_

"I… I fell off a cliff," he said again… or was it the first time he'd said that for real?

"Actually, I kinda shoved you off," Cid said. Vincent nodded, not really knowing how to respond… Cid looked just as awkward as he did, which gave him a bit of comfort.

"Are you mad at me, still?" Vincent asked. Cid laughed.

"Are you mad at me? I… kind of overreacted back there. And mentioning the whole… Hojo thing… that was just shit. I shouldn't have… Anyway, like I said, I overreacted… I'm sorry."

Vincent thought for a moment. "You overreacted, I underreacted… does that make us even?"

"Yeah, and anyway, you fell offa a cliff…I pushed ya off… and you scratched up my arm, so…double even." Vincent's stomach sank at the mention him scratching at Cid.

"Actually… I didn't… I… I didn't do that on purpose."

"Yeah, I know you were all pissed at me…"

"No, I mean… I didn't move my arm, I was trying not to… it just happened on its own." Cid raised an eyebrow. "I don't know what's going on… I keep sleepwalking, and now this."

Cid exhaled. "That's… that's not good…"

"I don't know why, it's as though I'm not in complete control, but… I don't know when he… " Vincent swallowed, nervously. Cid seemed to understand exactly who he meant by 'he.'

"This hasn't been going on long, huh?"

Vincent though back, the first night that they were in Junon had been the first time he'd sleepwalked, but before that his claw had closed suddenly. That had been right around the time that Chaos stopped talking. "I don't know what to do… What if he takes over? I can't…"

"I'll keep an eye on you. Just… I dunno, be careful. If something like that happens, I won't let you hurt nobody," Cid said. Vincent sighed in relief.

"Thank you."

Vincent looked up at the cliff above. He must have fallen at least a hundred feet, maybe more. _How are we getting back up… wait_… "Er… Cid? How'd you get down here?"

"I climbed."

"…Huh." They both sat in silence for a minute. Cid reached behind him for his box of cigarettes, apparently tucked safely away before he tried saving Vincent from drowning. He held the box out to Vincent, a gesture of peace. Vincent didn't particularly care for smoking; for whatever reason, they didn't have much of an effect on him anymore. But he took one, all the same.

He thought that he'd be okay. He would just need to be careful, and figure out why he lost control. A new goal on his ever growing list that had to be kept up since the explosion.

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><p><strong>AN: Should I elaborate on anything? No, I think everything is there...everything that I'm going to put in at this time. Next chapter is going to be a little different from usual, so it should be interesting to see what everyone thinks about it... but I'm getting ahead of my self.**

**By the way, if there's any Dan vs. fans reading this, I started a story about it... the link is in my stories page. Then again, it's pretty different from this story, for obvious reasons. But check it out if you like the cartoon.**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: And now for something completely different! This chapter is told from the perspective of Tony (does everyone remember that guy? Estu can't seem to). Anyway, this is probably going to be one of the very few times I switch my pov...actually, I guess they wouldn't be pov characters since it's all in third person, but it's limited third person, so would they be something else? I'll just call them perspective characters, I guess. Oh well, this is going to be one of the only times I switch perspective characters, so if you don't like it, the next chapter will be back to normal. And now 'perspective' doesn't look like a real word anymore... great. Well, enough rambling, on to the story.**

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><p><em>Caught… I've been caught… <em>

_That kid was right, they did go after me. But not for the reason he thinks – they went after anyone who wasn't where they were supposed to be._ The soldiers had checked many of the houses in Junon, taking anyone who looked like they didn't belong into custody. As luck would have it, Tony looked nothing like his friend's family, and was spotted immediately. Two of the Deepground soldiers half led half dragged him to the center of town. As they went, the sun shone through the intermittent gaps in buildings. Tony squinted; he didn't really like the sun much after spending most of his time in a dark tavern.

Tony figured that most people in his situation would be scared witless, but this was by far the most exciting thing that had happened since he moved to Junon. For such a large city, Tony found it ridiculously dull. Working in the run down bar wasn't any better. For a while, Tony would study the customers, trying to figure out each one's story. Over the years, he found that nine times out of ten, the truth wasn't nearly as exciting as what he could imagine, but he had gotten pretty good at reading people since then.

They arrived in the central plaza of town, the city's tallest skyscraper looming over head. Tony noticed a lot of strange looking people gathered around a helicopter on the rooftop. _Interesting…_ "What's going on up there?" he asked, speaking very quickly. He was ignored. "Hello?" They ignored him again. _Geez, talk about rude…_ He was brought to the lobby of the Central Junon Skyscraper and told to sit. The lobby had many nervous looking people; Tony recognized a few of them. There was a woman who came in every Tuesday… a strange day to pick for a weekly visit, now that Tony thought about it. There was a man who had come in for a drink once, but just sat at the counter for an hour, not buying anything. Mark had finally told him to get out. That was three years ago, and he hadn't come back since, but Tony recognized him perfectly. He never forgot a face.

A girl with light blonde hair approached what looked to be the commanding officer. He immediately saluted her, surprising Tony. _She must be what, nine? Why's he doing that?_ Intrigued, he watched them closely.

"Commander Argento wishes to know if you have found anyone of interest…" she spoke with a quiet, but commanding voice almost devoid of emotion. The soldier shook his head.

"The ones you see here are just who resisted… and some kid hiding at one of the local police officer's house, but he's not-"

"What is his name?" she asked, eyeing Tony suspiciously. Tony awkwardly smiled. _Crap, I'm going to die… _

"I dunno…" the soldier answered. "He said… er…" he scratched his head, thinking. The girl rolled her eyes and walked away.

"Name?" she asked Tony.

"Me? I'm Mark Peterson, nice to meet you… I think," Tony said quickly. He was a pretty good liar, which could often get him out of trouble.

"Mark Peterson? Well, Mark Peterson, were you aware that you look remarkably similar to a Mr. Pete Hopkins, renegade scientist in the Deepground division? You also resemble a certain Mark Hopkins, deceased owner of a mostly unknown bar and thief of several records of interest to my superiors. Is that a coincidence, Mr. Mark Peterson?" _Deceased? Does that mean… oh no… poor Uncle Mark! …Oh well, life goes on, need to get out of this._

"Yeah, that is a weird coincidence… I mean, they might be kin, I've got a great uncle who married some girl named Hopkins, I'm pretty sure, so there could be a relation." The girl stared through him. _That doesn't look good. She knows I'm lying. I don't usually get caught... she must have known who I am before she asked._

"It is funny that you say that, Mark Peterson," she said, humorlessly, "because you look a lot like Tony Hopkins, who is at the moment being searched for for questioning."

"…That _is_ funny," Tony said weakly. He tried laughing, but it sounded strained.

"Perhaps Tony Hopkins should come with me… you, guard. Would you take this young man and follow me up to the top floor?" The guard nodded, walking behind Tony, and pushing him toward an elevator. _Oh crap… I really am going to die…_

The guard shoved Tony into a cramped elevator. The girl walked in after him. "Press the button for the top floor," she ordered. The guard obeyed without question, even though the girl was closer to the control panel. _Whoever sh_e _is, she's obviously well respected, and probably feared as well, judging by this guy's grip on my shoulders…_ Tony studied them both as the elevator rose. The guard seemed fairly uncomfortable, his breath quickening as soon as the doors closed, his body tense. He kept glancing around the small elevator, nervously tapping his foot. Tony guessed that he was claustrophobic. As for the girl, she kept her face a complete blank, her eyes straight forward. There was no emotion there, none at all. It wasn't just that she didn't let her actions betray her feelings, she felt nothing about the situation at hand.

"Stop looking at me," the girl suddenly ordered. Both Tony and the guard jumped a bit. Tony looked away_. She noticed … why does her voice sound so authoritative? It doesn't sound like a child's voice at all. _

"So, who are you, exactly?" Tony asked. "I mean, obviously you guys have something to do with the Edge takeover people…. Er, what was it?"

"Do not play dumb. You know very well who we are, Tony Hopkins." The elevator dinged and opened. They had reached the top floor. A desk had been set up in the center of a room of computers. A man with ginger hair and narrow, orange eyes looked up.

"Shelke, who's the kid?" he asked. Tony looked up at the guard. _Shelke? That's a weird name. Especially for a guy._

The girl spoke up, "The 'kid' is Tony Hopkins, son of Pete Hopkins. You asked me if I could locate him so you could interrogate him and find the missing files." _She's Shelke… and I'm the kid? She's gotta be at least six years younger than me._ "Commander Argento, I suggest that you consult your father in the matter. This boy's father worked with him, and one of the files that he stole five years ago was Doctor Weiss's, as well as files detailing his work on Deepground and Project S."

"Hmmph. I don't need the old man's help to ask him where they went. I'll just hand the kid over to Rosso… she'll have a good time getting him to talk. Besides, Father's too busy shaking Zul's hand… stupid little shit just can't get over getting to talk to Dad in person. I figure he'll be up on the roof, kissing his ass for at least another hour-"

"Is that so?" Tony looked up to see a very sour looking teen with blue hair standing at the base of the stairs. Argento grinned unapologetically.

"Oh good, you got your groveling out of the way early, then eh Zul?" Argento asked. _Cocky and unprofessional… this guy's completely different from the other two. _Zul sat down at one of the computer chairs, calmly sipping from a coffee mug and ignoring Argento. Argento grinned, "Careful with that stuff, you'll stunt your growth. Wouldn't want to end up like Shelke over here, right?" The girl narrowed her eyes, the first display of anger that Tony noticed.

"Anyway," Argento continued, "Just take him over to Rosso. She'll deal with him."

"Rosso returned to Edge," Zul stated smugly. Argento turned back.

"What? Are you serious?" asked Argento.

"I'm always serious."

"I will allow you to deal with the boy. I am going to go back down and separate the petty criminals from the people we actually need," Shelke said. "What are the orders for dealing with those who are unimportant to Doctor Weiss's plans?" Argento shrugged.

"I think he said just kill 'em."

Zul nodded. "The orders were to kill anyone who doesn't matter, but," he paused for a moment, thinking. "You should probably not do that. Instead, take them down to the basement… then kill them. No need to mess up the lobby," he said coldly. Shelke nodded in agreement.

"That is probably the cleanest way of eliminating them." She turned to each of the men. "Mr. Azul. Commander Argento. Mr. Tony Hopkins." She gave each a slight nod before leaving. Argento rolled his eyes at the girl.

"Great… so now what do I do with the damn kid?" he grumbled, turning towards Zul.

"Your father said wait until he got down before you do anything important… he sounds a bit important," Zul said. Tony looked at the two. Argento seemed annoyed by the prospect of taking orders, which Zul seemed to notice. Zul smiled smugly, with obvious disdain for Argento. Not surprising, really. From what he'd seen of the two, their personalities seemed almost opposite. Zul was cool…calculating, and it seemed from trying to anger Argento, a bit manipulative. Argento seemed more blood thirsty, impulsive, and rude. At the moment, Tony had no idea which was more dangerous.

"When's he getting here?" Argento asked impatiently.

"Hmm… soon, I suppose," Zul said, bored. Tony stood back awkwardly, wondering what this Doctor Weiss had in store for him. At least the delay kept him from whatever torture Argento plotted. "Perhaps you should ask the kid to sit down?" Zul suggested.

"No, he can stand… by the way, Zul, how do you like my new suit?" Zul looked up from his coffee, his eyes narrowed as he examined Argento's dark blue suit.

"Is that Reeve's?" he asked. Argento laughed. "It is Reeves, isn't it? It is… oh that's just sick and wrong… you at least got the blood removed, right?"

"Of course," Argento said, turning back. Tony swallowed nervously_. I'm surrounded by psychopaths!_

A door slammed. Tony looked to the top of the stairs where an old man stood. He had white hair and thickly rimmed glasses. His white coat floated behind him as he walked down the steps. Zul rose from his seat, saluting. The man shook his head. "You've done all that already, Azul."

"Er… of course, sir," Zul said, embarrassed. He quickly sat back down and sipped his coffee.

Argento looked up casually. At least, he was trying to look casual… trying a bit too hard, Tony noted. There was clear admiration in his eyes, though he was trying, for whatever reason, to hide it. Perhaps he sought his father's approval but was too proud to admit it. Perhaps he just disliked Zul's behavior and was trying to be his opposite. Either way, Weiss looked more than a bit annoyed with Argento.

"I thought I told you not to attack until I gave the order," said Weiss.

"I got the city for you, didn't I? And, Reeve is out of the way. We pretty much rule the world now," Argento said, smiling arrogantly.

"Really? You think you were successful, don't you, boy? Tell me then," he said darkly, "where is my Proto-materia? And the other members of AVALANCHE? The two Turks? The files I spent over a month tracking down that I specifically told you were in this city?"

"Are you serious? Yeah, there were a few… setbacks… but with Junon taken over, we control most of the Eastern continent. Tracking those things down will be easier now."

Weiss nodded, thoughtfully. "Yes… I suppose you did take the city…" Argento smiled, before looking down seriously. "Still, if your older brother were here, the situation would have been handled… differently, to say the least." Argento's eyes widened. Tony noticed his fists shaking as he nodded.

"I… I apologize… for my lack of foresight…" he said shakily. From across the room, Tony saw Zul smiling contentedly, clearly enjoying the scene that played out. Weiss sighed.

"Doesn't really matter now does it?" Weiss asked bitterly. "Now, as for you Mr. Hopkins, sit down." Tony was a bit startled at being addressed directly after being ignored for so long. He quickly sat in the small chair across from Argento. Weiss looked at Argento, sitting at the desk.

"You're in my seat."

Argento stood. "Of course… sorry, sir."

Weiss replied with a quiet "hmmph," and sat. He tapped his fingers on the desk. Tony watched, immediately reminded of the odd boy at the bar who shared the same habit. "Now then, to business," Weiss began. "As I'm sure you heard, some valuable files were stolen from me by your father and uncle. I obviously would like them back." He paused expectantly.

"I don't have any files," Tony said. That time, he was telling the truth, though Weiss didn't seem to believe him. "I… I don't really know what you're talking about. I hadn't heard anything about files of any sort until this morning."

"Is that so…" Tony nodded gravely. "Well then, Argento, take him with the other useless fools…"

"No! Wait. I, um… I know something about some files… my uncle had some in a storage facility."

"Those were the ones that we're looking for. They had been taken out," Weiss said.

"Sir," Zul said, "We received reports of a young man wearing a black hat who had a bundle of papers." Weiss looked back, interested. _Black hat… Estu._ Tony thought about the last few days, putting the pieces together. _Great… it's that kid's fault I'm in this mess. _Weiss turned back to Tony.

"So, do you know this young man?" _Name: Estu, approximately five and a half feet tall, carries a wakizashi, green eyes, appears to be left handed, dislikes eye contact, under fourteen years old, possibly a runaway, probably a bounty hunter, touchy about questions about him… _The details quickly flashed through Tony's mind.

"I may know something. But I could only tell you if that was in my best interest," Tony said.

Weiss nodded. "Cooperate, and no harm shall come to you." _Well that's a step up, at least._

"Fine then, what do you want to know?"

Weiss continued drumming his fingers. "How do you know him?"

"He had some deal going with my uncle." That, he guessed. A deal for the files, it was a theory that made sense, and was probably true. Weiss nodded.

"Did he give you a name?" _Do I answer? I seriously doubt he gave his real name. The guy didn't trust me… Or maybe it was his name. It sounds strange enough that most would assume it to be a pseudonym. Still what should I tell Weiss?_

"No… I asked him but… I don't know. He was a quiet guy." Weiss seemed to accept his answer. He motioned for Zul to go over to him. He whispered something into his ear, and Zul left.

"Now… hmmph… " Weiss paused, thinking. "I'm going to let you go for now, but you are to remain in the city. I will consult you if I find anything else relating to these missing files. Understood?" _…Understood? Hardly. He's actually letting me go? That's mad… there has to be something else he's planning._

"Understood," he answered.

"Good, now get out." Tony stood and walked quickly towards the door. In the elevator, he released a breath he didn't realize he was holding. _Now that guy_, he thought, _is scary._ He brushed his hair away from his forehead, trying to compose his thoughts. _He let me go… no there's no reason for him to do that. He wants me to feel at ease. But why? What does he gain from not just throwing me into the basement? This is the guy who pulls the strings; he's the sort of man who has twelve reasons for everything he does. If he is the chess master, where does he want to put me in his little game?_

The elevator dinged open. Tony stepped out, warily looking around. _Stay alert. Stay focused. I need to figure this out._ "Tony." A voice distracted him. Zul approached, a guard next to him carrying a bright green jacket. "This is for you. Wear it while out in public and our patrol groups will leave you alone." Tony looked at it. It seemed just like a normal jacket, albeit an ugly colored one.

"…So, just wear this and I won't end up back here, right?"

"Of course… not until Doctor Weiss needs to speak with you again. I assume that the color isn't very popular with the towns folk, so we're giving these out to all … VIPs , so to speak," Zul said. "Anyway, you can take it or leave it. But if you wear it, then we'll know you from the common riffraff, so little annoyances like curfew won't apply. It's just an offer. Take it or leave it. Doesn't really affect me."

Tony nodded, accepting the jacket. "Sounds like a good deal," he said. Zul smiled, though there was no warmth in it, and it did not extend to his eyes.

"No hard feelings about the way Argento and Shelke treated you, right?" _He's trying to get on my good side. Manipulative jerk… fine, two can play this game._

"Oh no. I just felt a bit bad for you. Your superiors don't appreciate you much, do they? Especially _Commander_ Argento. Though leadership does suit him." Zul looked annoyed.

"Argento and I have a long history. A bit of a… friendly… rivalry, really. And yes… he does like to lead." There was a distinctly bitter tone in his voice. Tony suppressed a smile. "Anyway," Zul continued, "perhaps you should get going. You'll find that the bar where you work has been cleaned up, so you can stay there if you wish. Now, take this phone. We'll contact you if we need you." _They can track phones made in the last two years… But you don't know that I know that, do you Zul?_

"Sounds good… so I can leave now right?"

"Yes, you're free to leave," Zul replied. Tony nodded and walked out the door.

As he made the return trip towards his uncle's bar… no, he supposed it would be his now. His thoughts turned back to the strange leaders in Deepground. _Shelke, Argento, someone named Rosso, Zul, Weiss, a mention of Argento's brother…_ He went over every conversation he'd had or heard that day. Each played back perfectly in his head. He remembered every word, ever tone, every look… he kept them in mind. He'd probably need all the information just to stay alive._ These people are playing with me… I won't be their pawn… I refuse. _

He arrived at the bar… it looked as though nothing had happened to it. He entered and hung up the new jacket. Spying the bottle of dark liquid Mark saved for special events, he walked over behind the bar. He took a glass and the liquor, poured it carefully, and attempted to drink it in one gulp like he'd seen Mark do. The liquid burned his throat, but he swallowed with some difficulty. _Disgusting… not worth it. _ He set the bottle back on the counter and paced across the room. When he neared his jacket, he noticed a faint but irritating buzzing noise. He glanced back at the empty glass on the counter. _Really not worth it… no… that's not it. The jacket? _

He picked up the jacket and retreated to one of the rooms they rented out. He pressed his ear to it, listening. Surely enough, there was a very faint sound coming from the collar. Tony ran over to his room, retrieving a knife and a needle and thread. Carefully, he opened the collar with the knife. He reached into it, surprised to find a small round thing in it. He pulled it out, examining it. A tiny electronic bug. He held it up to his ear, but there was no sound. _So… what made the noise? _ He heard the buzzing again and reached into the other side of the collar and found another device, this one a tiny speaker. It was quiet enough that he could only hear it if he pressed it to his ear. Not even loud enough to register on the bug, apparently. He listened closely.

"… is it working?"

"Yes, he's just being quiet, must be alone."

"So as soon as he meets this thief?"

"We'll hear the voice and we contact Zul."

"That guy has the best plans."

"Seriously, though Weiss came up with the whole letting-the-kid-go-thing on the fly."

"Don't mention flying around him, he'll flip."

"Yeah I'm not stupid… I'm tired though, you listen to the kid, I'm taking a break."

"Can you do that? Okay, see you."

The conversation went quiet. A slow smile spread across Tony's lips_. Zul, you really shouldn't employ such idiots. They must have messed up, somehow. There's a bug in the room they're in and I have the speaker. A miracle… It seems the odds have evened a bit._ Tony sewed the bug back into the jacket_. I refuse to be a pawn. I've got a few cards of my own now. We'll play this game if you like, Zul. Just be warned, I'm just as clever as you are… _

_When life gives you an opportunity, you ought to take it. So how can I use this to my advantage? They seek files… Estu… who are you anyway? This is quite interesting… But how will I play this game? What are my strengths? I can lie, I can read people pretty well, I've got an excellent memory, I can manipulate… _

He waited a few minutes before doing any thing. Then Tony picked up his new phone, dialing the number of his police friend.

"This is Tony… yeah I'm alright. No, they let me go. Hey, do you mind if I come over tomorrow? … Yeah, I'll tell you about it. It was kinda scary, but you know me… no, I didn't cry. ...I didn't! Quit being stupid. …All right, bye." He waited and held the tiny speaker to his ear. It started playing again.

"He just called someone!"

"Who?" It was Zul's voice that asked.

"Um…"

"Check the phone records," Zul said in exasperation.

"…The phone was listed as… Police Chief Walker and family…"

"Records on the Walker household?"

"Two officers live there… the chief and his son, plus his wife, and he's got a second son who's fifteen…"

"Must be his friend," Zul said, "Keep listening for now."

"What if this kid finds out we're listening?"

"Do you think that he would call that house if he knew we were listening?" Zul asked.

"…No sir."

"Good, then keep listening."

The speaker went quiet again. Tony smiled. They would play exactly as he wished them to. Now all he had to do was make a plan. What would benefit him most? Either way, it seemed as though his days of boredom and monotony were over. _This will be fun._

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><p><strong>AN: So I noticed that I never gave Tony a description. *facepalm. Oh well, he may not know what he looks like, but at least he has a last name, which is more than any other oc can say. What he looks like isn't that important anyway, though I've been imagining him with dirty blonde hair and a stocky body structure. Anyway, the next chapter will be back to normal, though it was fun writing about another character and putting some focus on the Tsviets again.**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: So the other day, I noticed something. Argento means silver. I thought it meant orange. *triple-facepalm. That really messes up my color symbolism… too late to change anything though. Oh well, please excuse my nonsensical character naming. Also, turns out there was an Argento in the multiplayer part of DoC and she was a chick… great. I had no idea, so yeah… life's just full of surprises, huh? Well at least that cuts down my OC count a bit (sort of, not really since they're so different from the cannon Tsviets... except Rosso and Shelke, who are for all intents and purposes, the same). I must have heard the name somewhere while making the character… can't believe I named him 'silver'…Actually, now that I think about it, even though the color silver doesn't suit his looks or personality, it would tie his name to Weiss and Nero. White, silver, black. Almost like a value scale… except Nero is older… crap. I give up. This world's version of Argento's middle name is officially 'Clementine'. There. Now the color symbolism is back. Maybe the reason he's unstable is because he has an embarrassing middle name. Actually that's not it at all, but we haven't gotten there yet...**

**Sorry about the ramble that has nothing to do with the current chapter. The only thing I have to say about this chapter is that the segments aren't quite in chronological order, each one is in order with the other segments focusing on the character, but Vincent's and Estu's segments don't happen at the same time. Also, for the sheer sake of clarification, dreams are in italics this time. Sorry it's inconsistent with the rest of the story and if it's kind of hard to read that way.**

* * *

><p><em>The room was mostly empty. Nothing but a strange white glow from the ceiling, just barley illuminating the sparse furniture - two chairs, both rusted folding metal ones, one table, shoddily constructed out of what looked like plywood and bent nails. The boy sat in one of the chairs and looked around nervously, brushing dark, tangled bangs out of his eyes, his skin much paler than what was normal for him after nearly a month spent indoors. A cold metallic voice spoke to him.<em>

"_Subject 1 requests leave?" it inquired. The boy nodded vigorously before realizing that it may not see him._

"_Y-yes! Please, I want to see my parents." The boy was close to tears. For the last month he had been pushed to his limits, he wanted out. He wanted the safety and comfort of his home. The voice gave no response. "Please let me go! I don't know what's going on! Please!"_

"…_Son?" a new voice spoke, a familiar one._

"_Father! Father, help! Make them let me go, please!" he shouted frantically. The sound of static was the only reply. "Father?" the subject called out in desperation. Seconds turned to minutes. Minutes became hours as time crept by. The wait was killing the boy. Already a nervous wreck, he only got worse throughout the day. Finally a voice spoke up._

"_I'm taking you home. You'll continue training there. I'm sorry, this was a mistake…I'm so sorry…" The father's tone was pained, but a wave of happiness and relief passed over the subject. Thank you. Thank you. "I'm sorry…" the voice whispered. No, don't be. Thank you! Thank you! He felt sudden warmth and softness then, and he was happy, though he didn't know where it came from… Thank you._

"Thank you…" Estu murmured, fast asleep on the sofa. Ami paused as she set the blanket on him. She had forgotten, forgotten how vulnerable he could look. He had always had a harshness to his appearance, a strangeness that made people fear him. The year that he had spent away only amplified the effect. It was easy to stay angry at him then, but now, when he looked so childlike…

"I'm sorry," she whispered as she set down the blanket.

* * *

><p>Vincent and Cid carefully climbed back up the rocks to the top of the cliff. Vincent was lost in thought, playing back the fight from earlier, trying to make sense of it. He heard Cid break out into a fit of coughing, and looked back at the pilot, who'd been falling behind. <em>Poor Cid needs a break<em>. Vincent looked up to see that there was an indention in the cliff side above.

"There's a place you can catch your breath right up here," Vincent told him. Cid nodded, clearing his throat. Vincent climbed onto the ledge first, then helped Cid up. Cid coughed a few more times, and took quick breaths, trying to make up for the lack of oxygen. They'd only gone halfway up the cliff, but Cid looked exhausted.

"It was… easier… going down," he said.

"I think all that smoking is catching up to you," Vincent noted. Cid rolled his eyes.

"Hasn't hurt me yet, besides you-" he coughed again. Vincent raised an eyebrow. _Right, hasn't hurt you…_ "Besides, you smoked one a minute ago."

"Yes, _one_," Vincent said, "I don't have a habit. …Even if I did, I don't think it would make a difference, in my case."

"Yeah, yeah. You're a lucky bastard…"

"Lucky?" Vincent asked. "How on Gaia am I_ lucky_?" Cid ignored him, looking out at the sea.

"What're we doing now? As much as we all hated it, Reeve was pretty much in charge."

"…Going by… precedent, I suppose his death would make you the leader."

"Or Tifa…" he pointed out. "Damn, I miss Spiky sometimes. Or hell, I bet Barret would know what to do here."

"Yes, but there isn't much we can do about that. Comparing ourselves to the other leaders of our group won't help. This situation is different, but really, we aren't any more lost now than when we were fighting Sephiroth, or even when we fought his remnants. Besides that, you two both have experience leading the team; you both had to when Cloud couldn't. I think everything will be okay, we just need to think carefully about what we do now that there are so few of us. But you are a good leader Cid, don't forget that."

"I think that's the most I've ever heard you say in one go," said Cid, laughing. Vincent shrugged, absentmindedly reaching around for his cloak. He stopped, remembering it was long gone, and crossed his arms instead. Cid noticed him and stopped laughing. "Vince, where'd that cape go?"

"I… lost it… while we were in the labyrinth," Vincent answered. He decided not to mention the specific circumstances. He had enough to think about without remembering what had happened between him and Yuffie… besides that, he promised her he would forget about it.

"You look really weird without it… I just noticed… I guess it's cause you've always worn it." Everyone changed but he'd stayed the same, not looking a day older than when he had met them or changing the way he dressed. Change…it didn't suit Vincent, and in truth he didn't deal with it well. The past few weeks had been a struggle, with all their uncertainties. _ Adaptability is a gift I don't have… Not a good trait for someone like me. _

Cid rubbed his arm, the ocean water must have stung the wounds on it. Vincent looked down, guiltily. I_ did that… what should I do? Cid is more than capable of leading, Tifa is a better fighter, Yuffie's good at long range attacks like me… I wonder, if I left, could they keep going? Maybe the safest thing for me to do is hide somewhere far away where Chaos can't hurt anyone…_

"Whatcha thinkin' about?" Cid asked.

"Nothing. Are you ready to go now?" Vincent asked, switching the subject.

"Yeah, I guess," Cid replied. They both stood and continued their climb up the cliff side.

* * *

><p><em>The boy tapped his fingers across a desk, his father sitting across from him, watching. The boy looked tired, bags had begun to form around his dark brown eyes, which were becoming dead looking from all of his pointless work. His forehead was becoming a bit prematurely wrinkled with slight worry creases. He had lost much of his baby fat, and the roundness of his features was gone. He was still very much a child, but no longer looked like one. <em>

"_Father, why do I have to do all this training?" he had asked._

"_Because… you've been chosen to become a very special sort of fighter."_

"_I don't like to fight," the boy muttered. He wished he could have a different life. To simply be normal… but his father would never let him._

"_I'm sorry," he'd say, though he didn't seem to mean it. He'd been apologizing since the boy was very young. He continued, "This is what I need you to do. We have to compete with Project S, you know."_

"…_What is that anyway? Project S?"_

"_You know. You've met young Sephiroth before."_

"_Oh… him… Why do we have to compete? Can't we just be friends?" The boy remembered clearly. They had met on occasion, but weren't allowed to speak much. Though from what he'd gathered, he and Sephiroth weren't so different in terms of upbringing. Sephiroth was a few years older, not to mention stronger. How could I ever compete? The boy would ask. He'd much rather be friends._

"_I don't think he wants to be your friend…"_

_The boy sighed dejectedly. Whatever would make his father happy, he'd have to do. "…Okay… I still don't like all this training."_

_After what seemed like a few minutes, the boy, now noticeably older, perhaps twelve or thirteen spoke with his father again._

"_Why are we still doing this? Project S won. There isn't any point."_

"_I just want my child to go down in history. Is that so wrong?" the father asked._

"_If that's what you want, train my little brother. He wouldn't mind fighting so much."_

"_He's not the same as you."_

"_What the hell does that mean?" the boy asked angrily._

"_Language," the father scolded._

"_No! I'm tired of all this. Why can't I just be a normal kid? Isn't that good enough for you?"_

"_That isn't an option."_

"_Then train my brother. He'd want to. He likes making you happy, Father. Give him a chance."_

"_He put you up to this, didn't he?" The father suddenly asked. The boy looked down, embarrassed. The father sighed. "Someday… someday you'll understand that there's a reason why I'm harder on you," he said._

"_Why? Just tell me."_

"_It's because …you alone are special."_

"…_Special? I don't understand."_

"_Just know that I love you. You are special in that regard."_

"…_No I'm not. You love him too."_

"_Do I?" he asked coldly. The sounds of footsteps running away from the door echoed into the room. The younger brother had heard._

"_Hey!" The boy called out. "Stop, he didn't mean that!"_

Estu blinked his eyes open. _That was weird_… He looked around, noticing a blanket over him. He touched it, feeling its softness under his fingertips. _Ami must have put it on me when I fell asleep_. Estu appreciated the sentiment, but her kindness wasn't going to make things easier when he had to go forward with his plan. His thoughts turned back to the address in Nibelheim as he sat up, stretching.

"Hey, you're up." Ami sat on the floor, reading a newspaper. Estu looked forlornly at the cover, "Junon Takeover: Deepground gains power in Eastern Continent." Estu glanced over to a clock on the wall. 7:30 AM. It had been exactly a day and a half since the attack. "Did you sleep all right? You passed out on that old sofa. Probably not too comfortable with all the springs and junk."

"No… it was fine…" _Except the dreams… Always weird dreams or none at all._ Ami seemed to notice his unease. She folded the news paper and stood.

"Do you want breakfast? I think I have stuff for pancakes," she said warmly.

"I'm not hungry…" Estu said quietly.

"I've gotten better at cooking, I promise."

"No, it's not that… it's just… I don't know. You can make pancakes if you want. I don't care." He stood, taking a few paces to wake himself up.

"Estu," Ami began, uncertainly. "You know you can talk to me, right?" She followed him, placing a hand gently on his shoulder. Estu jumped at the touch, body tensing up.

"Don't… I'm all right, really," Estu said. "It was nothing. Just a stupid dream…" Ami looked concerned.

"You know, I heard that sometimes old memories can present themselves as dreams. Maybe it's something like that?" she asked hopefully. _I wish. That would make my life a lot easier._

"I don't think so… it's some guy I don't know… always the same guy, this time he was a kid, though. He isn't me… looks nothing like me."

"How d'ya know? Maybe he just doesn't look the same because he's younger."

"No… he was younger this time, but he's usually older. Anyway, he's got this crazy dark hair and eyes, and he's super pale," Estu explained.

"You're kind of pale…"

"I am not!" Estu objected. "I mean, compared to these crazy fish people, maybe, but just because I don't spent all my time on the beach-"

"I was joking, lighten up," she said. Estu smiled half heartedly. "So, you say it's always the same guy?" Estu nodded. "Is he the one that crashed the plane?" Ami asked. Estu looked down, embarrassed by the recurring nightmare he had woken up from, panicking so many times when he'd lived with Ami. She, being the responsible older sister, often comforted him, telling him he'd be alright. She understood that he was terrified of heights, and had asked him a few times which one came first – the dream or the phobia. Estu always just shook his head. He didn't quite know the answer.

"I think it was the same guy… why don't I ever dream anything else? You don't have dreams like mine, do you?"

"Er… no. Not really," she answered truthfully.

"Oh well," Estu sighed, "It doesn't really matter, I guess."

Ami nodded. Best not to dwell on that sort of thing, she'd say. _Just focus on what's real. _She moved towards the kitchen, starting to prepare pancakes. Estu watched, a bit comforted by her acceptance. Despite his strange dreams, he felt more at ease then than he had since his father's death. _You know it can't last. You still have your mission. But I need her help, too. She's been friendly today… just have to keep on her good side._

"Do you… um… need any help?" he asked.

"Nah, I've got this. Pancakes are about the only thing I can cook. Raye gets so sick of them," she laughed. Estu nodded. "Do you want just circles? I've tried making shapes before, but they didn't turn out great… circles then?" _This is so weird… we're just talking about pancakes…_ Estu couldn't remember the last time he had a conversation about such a casual subject. It was a nice change of pace. _Focus. You still have your mission_, the obsessive side of him would say. But did he really want that? He couldn't decide. "Hey," Ami suddenly said ,"you could switch on the TV. I usually watch the news, but I didn't want to wake you up."

"Oh, sure," Estu said, standing up. He walked across to the small television and pressed its power button. "What channel?" he asked.

"Either ten or three is fine. You don't want syrup, right?"

"No syrup." Estu flipped channels until he reached ten. A pair of anchors discussed the developments with Deepground. It seemed as though they actually approved of the actions.

_"I say, if WRO can't protect its own city, it wasn't a fit replacement for Shinra at all,_" the female anchor said.

_"Yes, I mean, Shinra was hurting the planet, but we all had power and nice technology. I mean, I think I had a better life under them, I mean, you know?"_ the male agreed.

_"Shinra offered stability. That much Deepground promises as well. I think the rest of the world just needs to accept them…"_

_"I agree, I mean, this Deepground won't need to attack once they've taken over, you know …"_

"Good Gods…" Ami said, giving the TV a dirty look. "Do you hear these cowards?" she asked.

"Cowards? Wouldn't what they're saying be considered kind of controversial?"

"Not when you look at who's gaining power. These two have given up! They're just saying this bullshit because in their mind, we've lost. But _They_ don't want to have lost so_ they _switch sides early on. Ridiculous." Estu blinked, surprised at her.

"I didn't know you'd feel so strongly about this sort of thing."

"Why wouldn't I?" she asked. "Shinra nearly killed the whole planet, they fired Dad from his job as a security officer, the whole Sephiroth ordeal was their fault - you don't really remember, but it was bad, trust me… not to mention the Geostigma plague, which was also their fault…" she fumed. "The way I see it, they did a great job… a great job screwing the whole world over! And if these Deepground assholes are a part of them, then that gives one more reason to fight."

"So, why _don't_ you fight them, then?" Estu asked. Ami looked down, embarrassed. She kept flipping pancakes, setting them onto two plates. She walked over to the couch, saying nothing as she handed Estu his plate.

"…I sort of wish I could fight them, but…" she finally started. "I don't know. One person just can't make that sort of difference." _That may be true… though I doubt it would be just one person. _"So… I can't… does that make me a coward, too?" she asked.

"No… it just means you're like everyone else…"

"But shouldn't I try to be better than everyone else? I always used to think… I don't know… I'd be someone special. But I work at a freaking souvenir shop in a freaking tourist town. It's not really what I had in mind."

"So, you're unhappy?" Estu asked. _If she is… this may be easier than I thought._

But she shook her head. "It's not that I'm unhappy. I'm_ really_ happy. I love my life. It's been the first time since you…" she stopped suddenly, twirling her hair. "I mean, the first time in a while that I've stayed anywhere long enough to actually make friends, keep a job, not have to pack up every few weeks… not that… not that I hated doing that. Guess it's just wishful thinking." _I see…_

"Maybe you just need a break?" he asked.

"I wish… I've got to keep up rent though. No vacations for me… D'you know how weird that is? Working while everyone else you see is on vacation?"

"Why would I know that?" _This isn't good… just say it. Ami, I need you to go with me. I need you to leave your job and town and stupid boyfriend to help me get to Nibelheim, a town halfway across the continent, where I may or may not find a clue about the stupid coded files I spent an entire year looking for… yeah. That will work. _He opened his mouth to speak just as the TV announced a new news bulletin.

"This just in," the female anchor said. "Deepground offers an award of five million gil to whoever can aid in the capture of former AVALANCHE members and one million gil to whoever leads to the capture of this young man." The TV displayed a fuzzy picture of a boy in a black hat. Estu's stomach dropped as he recognized his own features. Ami turned towards him looking shocked.

"That's you!" she said, panicked.

"Th- that's me…" Estu said, staring at his picture.

* * *

><p>Vincent, Tifa, Cid, and Yuffie sat at a conference style table on board the airship. "Well… the situation's changed a bit," Cid said. "So, what now? All of y'all can help decide, but I think we otta head to Cosmo Canyon. This proto-whatever is supposed to be ancient, Red may be able to tell us somethin' about it. If not him, those eco-guys are bound to know something… so all in favor?"<p>

Yuffie tilted her head a bit. "Cid, d'you really think they can tell us anything? I think, at this point we should just take these guys head on. I mean, we're four of the best warriors on the planet."

"We've lost so many people though…" Tifa said. "Anyway, isn't the proto-materia useless? It's broken."

"I've tried using what's left… doesn't work," Yuffie said.

"Deepground's spread out between two cities, maybe more. Taking them on in a fight would be hard… unless…" Cid rubbed the stubble on his chin, thinking. "We'll just go with my plan from the beginning… just a bit tweaked. We still go to Cosmo Canyon, and ask about that, but we'll also recruit anyone who wants to help fight against Deepground, then we head to Nibelheim, do the same thing, then Rocket town. I grab _Shera_ and Shera, we bring out arsenal to the bastards, and then duke it out."

"So… form an army? That's the plan?" Yuffie asked.

"In a Kupo Nut shell."

Tifa frowned. "None of us are generals, Cid."

"So? That never stopped us before," Yuffie said.

"When we were fighting, not leading a fight."

"It'll still be a ways off before we can do anythin'. This stupid little airship is slow as hell, Como Canyon alone will take at least two days, and that's if there's good weather," Cid said.

"So you can still change plans if need be," Vincent said quietly. _If I left, they could change plans accordingly, not that they'd have to. With a small army, I'd really be superfluous… They don't need me… I should leave… Maybe after Cosmo Canyon. That would be a good place, lots of caves. Find a nice one, sleep a few decades…_

"Yeah… so all in favor?" Each of them raised a hand. "Arrite. Good. Now, it's gotten kind of late, so I'm hitting the sack." With that, he exited the room.

Vincent looked at the others. Tifa was standing up as well. "I'm going to make sure Denzel and Marlene are in bed. Good night, you two." _ Good night… I can't risk sleeping though._ Vincent wondered what would be worse, sleeping and in all likelihood, sleepwalking, or staying up, gradually getting more and more tired, until he couldn't stay awake anymore. He could go a while not sleeping until that happened, but insomnia could weaken him… he didn't want Chaos taking over. _I just need to make it to Cosmo Canyon… That's a few days, tops. I can do that._

"Hey, Vinnie?" Yuffie suddenly said.

"Don't call me…" he began, but stopped. "Never mind, I give up. What is it Yuffie?"

"You give up? That's no fun, Vincent."

_Really? Yuffie, I really don't have time for games, none of us do. _**I like games**_… Do not even start, Hellmasker, I'm not in the mood. _**Ha,ha**_. …great, more voices in my head again… Focus on what's real, Vincent. _**I'm real…**_ I said stop. _**But Chaos won't talk to me anymore! I'm so bored… Galian and Death Gigas don't exactly do well with conversation, and he's just ignoring me!**_… Yeah, well he's causing me problems too, and you aren't helping. _

_Focus on what's real… _"What is it?" he asked again.

"I just… I've been having trouble sleeping lately. You have too, so… er… do you want to go walk down to the town for a bit?"

"Go walk down and do what?" he asked warily.

"I… don't know. Just, hang out, you know?"

"I don't really 'hang out,' in case you haven't noticed."

"I've noticed… but …" she sighed. "N- Nevermind… I'll just go to bed too. Night, Vince."

"…Good night…" he said softly, already counting the hours until dawn.

Time passed slowly. Vincent thought that after all these years, time should move a bit quicker for him. That was how it was supposed to be, at least. Time passes faster for the old, each second a bit shorter than a child's second, each minute going by a bit quicker- further evidence that youth was wasted on the young. Those who had the least time left were caught by an accelerating clock going faster and faster until the end. Vincent was more than old enough to feel age's quickening effect, but didn't. Thirty years of sleep distorted his perception of time, so his clock went roughly the same pace as it did when he was a young Turk. _Of course_, Vincent mused, _my clock probably stopped_. He couldn't know for sure, yet, but he believed that after not aging at all for thirty… no, _thirty-four _years now, he wasn't going to ever. Of course, there wasn't much reason to worry about the future when the present was so uncertain, but in the quiet, lonely darkness, he couldn't help himself.

He listened to the sounds of the others sleeping… snores from Cid and Yuffie… quiet frighted murmurs from Marlene. _Is she having a nightmare? Poor girl._ From Tifa…

"Vincent, are you still awake?" she whispered. Vincent jumped, she was standing right behind him, how she managed to do that, he had no idea.

"Don't scare me like that," he said.

"Why are you awake? "Tifa asked. "It's 3 in the morning."

"I think the real question isn't why I'm awake. Why aren't you sleeping?"

"Why are you changing the subject?"

"Because you already know my habits, and you know I don't need to sleep as much as the rest of you." Tifa looked down guiltily. "So…" Vincent continued, "why are you awake?"

"… Can we talk outside?" Vincent blinked, a bit surprised. But he nodded, leading her outside the airship.

"Cid told me about… what happened yesterday afternoon," Tifa said.

"…"

"He said…" she continued, looking down, " that you… weren't exactly yourself." _That's one way of putting it._ "And, also, yesterday, Yuffie mentioned something about sleepwalking." _Remind me to stop telling Yuffie things… _**Sure, Vinnie.**_ Not you! Can't even make a mental note anymore…and do NOT call me 'Vinnie!' _**You could call me 'Maskie', if you want. 'Hellie' just sounds weird**_… Shut up._

"So… I was just wondering what you're going to do," Tifa said. _ Leave, as soon as possible. _

"I don't know… not sleep, stay by myself as much as I can, I suppose," Vincent said. _Then get going… _

"Are you sure? I mean, maybe the rest of us could help you," Tifa said.

Vincent crossed his arms and leaned back against the airship's railing. "I'm not sure you could do much… " he told her. Tifa nodded quietly. Vincent had always been a bit of an enigma to her, but still…

"If you ever need to talk…" she suggested.

"Because that will make everything better, right?" Vincent asked with a bit of venom in his voice. Tifa looked a bit taken aback. For as long as she'd known him, Vincent had never gotten upset with her**. Ha, look at her face! Looks all depressed like-** _SHUT UP, NOW!_ **…Getting mad at everyone today, aren't we, Vinnie? **

"I'm sorry," Vincent said quickly. "I… just don't really want to talk about it. And you know that already."

"I know. I just thought… I don't know, you've changed lately…"

"I never change. I'm the only one who doesn't."

"Do you really think that? I think you've changed more than any of the rest of us," she said. Vincent looked at her questioningly.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean… do you remember when we first met? All you wanted was to get to Hojo. That's what you told me and Cloud when we found you. After that, you wouldn't talk to, or even look at anyone. I think it took Aerith two days to even get you to say 'hello.' Even then, you wouldn't say anything that meant much. You always just kept to yourself. You'd fight with us, but you wouldn't join us by the fire or anything."

"But then," she continued. "Aerith finally got you to open up a bit. Do you know how surprised the rest of us were to see you talking to her? I mean, she did most of the talking, but still. Then, you started talking to Red and me, then Cloud, Cid, Barret… you started sitting by the fire, you'd eat with us, even though we suspected you didn't really need to… you opened up. When we fought Hojo, you finally realized that the state of the world wasn't your fault. You helped us save the world, helped us rebuild it… you started _smiling_ sometimes! You cared about all of us… we became friends… Even a bit of a family, since you decided to stay close by. And Marlene adores you… you've noticed that, right? It's because she sees that you are a good person, in spite of everything. Because you've shown you care about us and her… saving her from those silver-haired maniacs…"

"So, do you see? You've come so far, even though you can't see it, I do. So… yeah," she finished a bit awkwardly. "I think you have changed."

Vincent had no idea what to say to all of that. "Thank you, Tifa," was all he could think of.

"You're welcome," she said. "Sorry, I know you don't like getting all touchy-feely, but…" she shrugged. "Anyway, just remember, no matter what happens, we'll all be there for you, okay? So…" she breathed in. "Please… don't leave…" Vincent's eyes widened. _How did she…?_

"I don't know for sure if you were planning on it… but I suspect… can you just promise you won't?" she asked.

"I don't know if I can promise that," Vincent replied. "I am… dangerous. Don't say I'm not-"

"I wasn't going to."

"Well… good. So if I think anything could happen, which it could…"

"You'll leave, and I'll drag your sorry butt right back," she finished. Not exactly the response Vincent hoped for.

"I see…" he said quietly. "Well, if it makes you feel better, I promise I won't leave _tonight_. So if you need sleep…"

Tifa smiled. "Thanks Vincent." She went back on board, leaving Vincent to go sit on the cliff and await the sunrise.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Filibuster speeches… oh the filibuster speeches. Tifa had a lot to say. So, I got a big long rant of an author's note, Tifa got one, Vincent kind of got the equivalent of one for someone so quiet. Anyway, this chapter was a bit filllerish, sorry there wasn't much action here. Next chapter will have some, I promise. I'll post it whenever I'm done writing it, sometime this week, I guess. **


	14. Chapter 14

Vincent watched the sunrise the next morning. It was surprisingly interesting, after a night of sleepless monotony. He watched colors shifting and changing from dark inky blues to purples and finally to red and orange. Though he was not an overly sentimental person, the beauty was not lost on him. Costa del Sol was known worldwide for its perpetually warm weather and beautiful sunrises after all. And for a few minutes, Vincent was able to forget his current predicament and lose himself in the shifting colors.

The sound of footsteps brought him back to reality. He glanced over his shoulder to see Marlene running towards him, still in pink pajamas, hair loose and unbrushed. _She's up early. Must have just woken up._

"Good morning Uncle Vincent!" Marlene said. The young girl leaned on his shoulder.

"Hm? Oh, morning, Marlene." _Morning… finally. _**Seriously, that was boring, Vinnie**_. Why are you still here? Didn't I ask you to go away? _**…Yes, but… ha. **

Vincent stood, ignoring Hellmasker and made his way back to the airship with Marlene. She reached towards his hand, gripping it in her tiny fingers. Vincent allowed her to hold his hand, despite it making him rather uncomfortable. He didn't want her anywhere near him after he had hurt Cid. If anything ever happened to Marlene, Vincent knew he would never be able to forgive himself. It took him long enough to forgive himself for anything, but her… _Don't even think it. Just… just hold out a few more days. Then she'll be safe. Well, safer anyway. _ Even without him around, there was the threat of Deepground. Cid and Tifa would need to keep an eye on her. Vincent felt a bit guilty, leaving them that task, especially after promising he'd protect her_. I will protect her… just in another way_. He still wasn't sure though.

On board, Denzel and Yuffie were getting dressed, while Tifa walked around with a list in her hand. She smiled at Vincent when she saw him. "Nice to see you, Vincent." It was strange how much meaning could be in a simple greeting. She seemed pretty happy that Vincent had kept his promise. Vincent nodded in return. "Before we leave, we'll need to get a few things from town. Do you want to come?"

_Not at all…_ "Actually, I-" he began.

"Uncle Vincent, I need to show you this store I heard about. It has this entire section of dresses. Will you get me one?" _No… no dresses. Why's she being so clingy today?_

"I don't-"

"And there's a toy store! I left my moogle doll back in Junon, And-"

"Marlene, I'm not-"

"And there's this… er… thing I wanted to see, near the beach. And I-"

"I'm not-"

"So you'll go with me right?" she stated more than asked. She smiled, eyes wide, trying to look cute, Vincent supposed. He sighed.

"…"

"Please?"

"… I really cannot."

"But why?"

"Aw, Vincent, go with her. She's going to cry," Tifa said.

"She's not going to cry. Listen Marlene…" Vincent began. The girl looked up, teary eyed. _I stand corrected._ He sighed. "Fine, we'll go…where ever you just said."

"Yay! Thank you!" she said cheerily as she ran off to get dressed. When she was out of earshot, Vincent sighed and slumped down. Tifa raised an eyebrow.

"She isn't making this very easy," Vincent said quietly.

"Does that mean you'll consider staying?" asked Tifa. Vincent shrugged.

"I don't really know," he said, "I… I would feel guilty for leaving, but… I am not entirely sure that I should stay. It's kind of … difficult to decide what's best. And she's not making anything easier. Every time I see her I can't help but think…"

"You know there was nothing you could have done about Barret, right?" Tifa asked.

"Do you just have some kind of telepathy I don't know about?" Vincent asked. "Because if you do, I would appreciate it if you could limit yourself to reading everyone else's mind." Tifa laughed.

"No one has telepathy," she said. _Better not… It's bad enough I already can't think without someone interrupting. _**Who?** Vincent ignored him again.

Vincent stepped outside the airship. He looked around, finding Cid leaning back against some railing. "Mornin', Vince," Cid said, lighting up. "I see you're still here," he continued. "That's good, glad you're staying, Vince."

"For now… And Tifa already told you?"

"Yeah, a bit before she went to talk to ya last night," he said. "Anyway, I figured you'd try somethin' like that anyway."

"No, you did not. You aren't that perceptive, Cid," Vincent said bluntly. The pilot just shrugged nonchalantly.

"Mph… well, I would have figured eventually, anyway," Cid said.

"Right." _ Well, I suppose Cid might have figured it out eventually. Anyway, this works, since he and Tifa are AVALANCHE's co-leaders now, maybe -_ **…Oh**_**, I'm**_** interrupting. I get it. Ha! **_Really? I lost my train of thought there, thanks a lot. _**You're welcome. **He said, completely oblivious to Vincent's sarcastic tone.

After getting ready, the rest of the group exited the airship and gathered around Cid and Vincent. Tifa stepped forward. "All right, everyone, we only have a bit of money from what Reeve gave us, so let's try to spend it wisely, okay? So no toys, no souvenirs, no cigarettes-"

"Seriously? I'm almost out…"

"Then you should probably start rationing, Cid," Tifa said. "Anyway, I'll take care of everything on my list. Oh, Vincent – me and Cid already went over it, do you want to check?" Vincent shook his head. "Okay… so, for everyone else, you each get a _little_ money, so if you _really_ need something, you can get it."

"I _really_ need nicotine, dammit."

"No, you don't."

"Yeah, I do. Can't fly if I'm goin' through withdrawal," Cid insisted.

"…Fine, one pack. A cheap one, we really don't have that much money. So, make them last," Tifa said.

"Should of just put myself in charge of this sort of stuff," Cid said under his breath. _ Budgeting? Cid? That would be a disaster._

"So, Vincent, just stay with Marlene… Denzel, you stick with either Cid or Yuffie, just make sure you keep in their sight, okay? I don't need anyone getting lost. So, everyone does their own thing, then we meet back here at high noon, sound good?" Everyone nodded in agreement. Marlene walked over to stand beside Vincent, again holding on to his hand. It was strange, she had always liked him - oddly enough, given Vincent's somewhat frightening appearance and cold demeanor - but now she seemed almost afraid to leave his side. Almost as if… she was afraid of him leaving her? _Did someone say something to her? _Vincent wondered as they started down the hill towards town.

* * *

><p>Estu began to panic as he stared at his own photograph.<em> Holy crap. Holy crap, that's me. That's me. Okay, just stay calm. My bounty isn't as high as AVALANCHE's, maybe <em>people_ won't think I'm worth it. What am I saying, a million gil is still a ton of money. Okay, calm down… _He took a few steadying breaths and glanced over to his sister, who was equally shaken.

"Do you think anyone saw you come here?" Ami asked.

"I don't know. What do you think I should do?" He shrugged casually and tried to sound indifferent and calm, while still panicking inwardly.

"I don't know… oh man, they're going to come get you, and you're going to die, then I'm going to die because I helped you, then we'll both be dead, and Dad will haunt our ghosts because I didn't protect you!"

"I don't think ghosts haunt other ghosts…" Estu said.

"Is that supposed to be reassuring?"

"Yes! Would you stop asking that? I mean, crap, why can't you ever just… gah, what do we do? I'm too young to die, Ami!" he said, panic showing through his attempt at a calm façade.

There was a knock at the door. _Oh no. No, no, no! I can't die. Not now._ Estu ran across the room, grabbing his wakizashi. Ami watched, an idea sparking in her eyes. "I'm grabbing my guns," she said, ducking back into her room. She exited and slowly approached the door, small handguns gripped tightly in each fist, ready for a fight. She tucked one of the guns under her arm, and jerked the door open. Then she quickly pointed both guns at a very small, thin young man holding a box.

"AHH! Don't shoot!" he said. Impressively, the young man didn't even drop his box.

Ami lowered the guns. "Who are you?"

"N- no one, I swear. I just deliver p- packages," he said.

"Oh," Ami replied. She smiled sheepishly. "Heh, sorry about that… Where do I sign?" she asked, tucking both guns away into holsters on her belt.

"R- R- Right here…" he pointed at a spot on a receipt with a shaking finger. Ami smiled again and signed the slip. "Here!" the young man said, handing her the box. "You k- keep the top receipt, b- bottom one's mine. H- Have a nice day ma'am." Ami nodded. As she shut the door back she heard him mutter, "I do _not_ get p-paid enough…"

"Okay, false alarm…" Ami said, opening up the box and pulling out a snow globe from Icicle Inn. "Huh, I forgot I ordered this…" Estu laughed nervously.

"A snow globe? We both just flipped out over a snow globe," he said, smiling in spite of himself.

"Haha, yeah. You should've seen your face," she laughed, twirling her hair in embarrassment. "All right, we both need to calm down and just think about this," she said. "The picture they showed on TV wasn't that good. Hmm… maybe we should just get you a different colored hat?"

"I'm pretty sure I'd still be recognizable."

"Hmm…" she paced back and forth, thinking. _Okay, here's your chance. Ask now._

"Ami, we could just leave town you know. Go somewhere with less people," Estu suggested. "Maybe go up to Nibelheim for example. It's pretty far away, up in the mountains… Such a tiny town."

"I don't want to leave Costa del Sol, it's my home," she said.

"Well, you could find a new home. We're good at that, so let's go-"

"No," she stated firmly. "I'm not leaving. This is where I live, this is where all my friends are. It wasn't easy, you know, picking up the pieces and starting over. I'm not leaving now. I can get you out of the city, but that's about it." Green eyes met her grey as Estu glared at her. _Ami, don't do this_… Estu thought. "Sorry," she continued,"but that's really all I can do for you if you want to leave. There's a few small towns near here – Corel, Gongaga – either of those would be a good place to lay low for a while until this blows over."

"I need you to help me get to Nibelheim, okay? Just stop being stubborn," Estu ordered. Ami squinted at him, apprehensively. She took a deep breath before speaking.

"I'm not being stubborn, anyway, why do you have to go all the way up there? It's so far."

"I just… look, I need to go, and you have to go with me."

"I don't _have_ to do anything," she said. "Quit acting like you're somehow in charge."

"Dad made you promise you'd help me," he tried to guilt her.

"_Help_, yes, and I've already helped you as much as I can. I seriously doubt he expected you to become a wanted man," she said.

"Stop being so stubborn!"

"_You_ stop being so _selfish_! I said I can't, okay? I'll protect you if you stay here, or I'll help you get to another place, but all the way up to Nibelheim?" she asked, shaking her head. "Look, I have a bit of money I've saved up. If it really has to be there, I know this guy who will fly you-"

"I'm not flying," Estu said, crossing his arms.

"Well, then you're out of luck."

Estu dropped his gaze, instead glaring at his feet. "Fine. I don't need you anyway," he said, gathering his things and walking towards the door.

"No, Estu-" Ami began.

"What? If you can't help me, then what good are you? You're worthless, do you know that?" Ami looked down. Estu had hit her right where it hurt, and he knew it. She clenched her fists, and took a few more deep breaths.

"You don't… You don't really think that… I'm not worthless…" she stammered.

"Actually you are. Like you said, just some girl who works in a souvenir shop. Ever think there was a reason your dad always spent more time with me?" Estu asked. "He cared more about me than you."

"Shut up! No he didn't!" She shook her head in distress.

"More than his own daughter, his own flesh and blood-" Estu taunted.

"No! Stop. He loved me! He did!" she said, voice a bit hysterical.

"Right," Estu said, reaching for the doorknob. "You can just keep saying that – alone. Goodbye Ami."

"Fine!" she yelled as Estu left. "Good riddance."

She only let out a small choked sob after the door slammed shut.

* * *

><p>Vincent squinted, surrounded by the colorful stalls and brilliant flashes of light reflected off of broken shards of glass littering the otherwise immaculate streets. He lowered his bandana, trying to shield his eyes from the worst of it, while frowning moodily. Marlene on the other hand, couldn't look happier. She did an odd combination of walking, running, and skipping to keep up with Vincent's long strides, grinning all the while.<p>

"Are you having fun?" she asked cheerfully.

"…Yeah, lots," Vincent lied.

"C'mon, we need to go by this one store. Um… I really want a new moogle doll… I know Tifa said no toys but-"

"You need to listen to her," Vincent said sternly.

"But, Uncle Vincent," she pouted, "I had to leave mine behind when all those bad guys attacked us. I need a new one, or I'll have nightmares."

"A moogle isn't going to prevent bad dreams."

"How do you know?" Marlene asked. "Have you ever tried cuddling one while you sleep?"

"No," Vincent stated.

"Maybe you should," she suggested. "Here it is, let's go." She pulled Vincent in with surprising strength for her size. He sighed, and went along with her.

"Ooh!" she said staring at rows of toys. "This one's so much bigger than the toy shop in Edge!"

"You can look, but that's it," Vincent said.

"Yeah, I know." She walked over to a large, fat looking Chocobo toy, eyeing it enviously. Vincent leaned back against a wall, noticing a pair of sales clerks watching the two of them carefully. His sense for danger buzzed, and he watched them with paranoia equal to theirs. His eyes met one of the clerk's, whose gaze faltered.

"Can I help you find anything?" the clerk asked.

"Just looking, if that's okay," Vincent replied coolly. Marlene looked up from a Tonberry doll.

"Be nice to them, they're just doing their job," she said. Marlene tried to be perpetually friendly, so she didn't understand Vincent's apprehension around strangers. Among the few friends and peers she had that were her age, she was by far the most mature and wise. Sometimes knowing that would go to her head, and she'd try to offer advice to everyone. More often than not, it wouldn't be helpful, or it would simply fall on deaf ears. Vincent crossed his arms.

_Something isn't right._ The two clerks kept watching them. One whispered to the other, sure that neither Vincent nor Marlene could hear them. But they didn't know how sharp Vincent's senses were.

"AVALANCHE, I'm sure of it. You see the news this morning?"

"You should call-"

"We need to go soon," Vincent said with subtle urgency. Marlene pouted again.

"But-"

"Don't argue."

"Fine," she sighed, setting the Tonberry down.

He gripped her hand, leading her out of the store. "Where else did you say you wanted to go?" he asked, attempting to console her and keep her moving.

"There was a clothing store… I actually do need to get something there, some fingerless gloves…"

"What do you need gloves for?" Vincent asked.

"Everyone else wears them."

"True…" Vincent said. It would be easiest to give into this small request. They walked down to the clothing store in question. Vincent looking around at the people on the street, staring and whispering as they passed. _Something isn't right… This isn't right._ He quickened his pace a bit.

"Vincent, I can't keep up!" Marlene protested. "What are you so worried about anyway?"

"We're being watched," he said quietly.

"Well, yeah, it's a crowded street…"

"Not like that. Come on, we need to just hurry to the store, all right?"

"Sure…" she said. Inside the store, Yuffie and Denzel greeted them.

"Hey, Marlene, look at these!" Denzel said, gesturing to a pair of goggles strapped to his head.

"Oh, cool, they kinda look like Mr. Highwind's," Marlene said.

Vincent turned to Yuffie, "What happened to essentials only?" he asked.

"Heh, what can I say, the kid wanted them. Thinks they'll help him be a real pilot or something. Cid was the one who said to go ahead and get them, not me," she said. Vincent frowned again.

"Anyway," she whispered. "Why do you care if you're just going to leave?" _ She knows too? _

"Who told you?" he asked.

"Cid. Vinnie, don't leave, please?" she implored. Vincent ignored her plight, examining his claw, instead.

"Yuffie, have you noticed anyone looking at you strangely?" he asked.

"Um… we got a few weird looks on the way here, yeah… why?" Vincent stayed silent. _Could it be a coincidence? No_, he decided, _my instincts have been putting me on edge all day. _

"Vinnie, what's wrong?"

"I think we may be in danger. We'll need to get back to the airship and leave as soon as we can," he said quietly. Yuffie laughed.

"Vince, you're being paranoid. It will be okay, I mean, c'mon, just be happy we get a bit of a breather before we set off to fight those Deepground jerks again."

"Where's Cid?" Vincent asked suddenly.

"Um… he's getting his smokes at the store down the street," she said.

"And how long has he been gone?"

"It's only been… oh… it has been a while. You're not thinking…?" Vincent walked towards the door.

"Stay here and watch Marlene. I'm going to go check on him."

Vincent walked out of the store and into the tobacco shop. Cid stood against a wall, holding hands up, closely watching two large gun men who were aiming at him. "Five million gil… can you believe our luck? Knocking up this stupid store was the best idea I've had in ages."

"Shut it. Highwind's standing there listening."

"So? Soon he'll be in Deepground's hands and we'll be rich. Glad I actually watched the TV this morning."

Shocked, Vincent ducked behind a display, carefully sneaking toward Cid. Cid noticed him, though he made no sign the two thugs could read. He carefully reached into his pocket.

"Hey, hands out, old man!" Cid rolled his eyes.

"I'm not even forty, and I'm just getting' a cigarette. Care for one?" he asked with surprising calm. One of the thugs nodded, holding out his hand, but the bigger one, the leader, Vincent guesses, nudged him in the ribs.

"Don't fall for that, stupid. It's the oldest trick in the book."

"What trick? I'm just extending a bit of civility to my captors… Y'all do know what 'civility' is, right?" Cid took out a cigarette, holding it out again, a bit too close to the leader's face.

"Knock that off," the big guy said, swiping at the cigarette and knocking it out of Cid's hand. Cid bent over to pick it up, eyes meeting Vincent's. He smiled confidently. _ Oh no, what's he going to do? _Vincent got ready for anything. He'd wait for Cid to make the first move, then back him up.

"Anyway, you two wouldn't appreciate these, Eastern Continent's Finest… Imported. Now, then. Do you two wanna just put the guns down, or am I going to have to make ya?" he asked, voice full of bravado.

"Yeah, yeah, pops. You've got no weapons."

"Does a good warrior really need them?" he asked boldly.

With surprising speed, he gripped the smaller thug's gun, aiming it at the bigger one. The leader was momentarily taken aback, giving Vincent a single moment to take advantage of his surprise. Vincent fired his gun at the man's arm. The thug clutched his arm in pain, blood already flowing. His gun fell to the ground with a sharp 'clack'. The smaller guy looked around, confused, before Cid took his gun pointing it directly at him.

"Best get going," Cid said. The smaller thug nodded, running out of the store. "Thanks Vince. I think we need to get out of here." Vincent nodded.

"Where's your spear?" he asked.

"At the airship. Didn't really expect this to happen…"

"Come on. We need to get back to Yuffie and the kids," Vincent said, moving towards the door. They both ran towards the clothing shop, only to find the store in a disarray of smoldering clothes and throwing stars. Denzel and Yuffie looked back at the two, smiling a bit.

"They thought they could attack me, but I showed them," she said. Vincent initially relaxed, then panicked again as he realized something was wrong.

"Yuffie, where's Marlene?" he asked.

"Calm down she's right… Marlene?"

She and Denzel both looked around. Vincent ran around the store, calling her name. "Marlene!" he yelled, looking around. "Marlene!" Something had happened, someone had taken her. _I promised to protect her_… Outside, the sound of a helicopter's blades cut through the air, and gun fire rang through the resort town. Deepground had already sent troops to retrieve them. But Vincent didn't care. He could take them all on, if only it would lead to Marlene.

* * *

><p>Estu ran down the many flights of stairs, hand shoved in pockets, sword swinging back and forth as he made his way toward town. Ami's apartment was on the Northeastern side, and he had to get to the Western side if he was to get to the rest of the Central continent and Nibelheim. The fastest way was through the heart of Costa del Sol. Making his way through the city this close to noon could be a difficult task, but he didn't care. He didn't care about anything.<p>

_Are you really going to do this alone?_ He asked himself. _I don't have a choice, she won't help me. She tried… not very hard. Maybe I shouldn't have said all that? No, she was being so… so what? _ His head began to hurt with his conflicted thoughts. He slowed, finding himself at the intersection of a street lined with vendors. _I'm wanted, I need to keep low._ He took a back street, moving along the uglier side of the buildings.

_You shouldn't have said what you did. No, I should've. She wouldn't help. Was she being unreasonable? No… _"Dammit!" he said out loud, kicking a nearby trashcan. A cat leapt out, hissed at him and ran off. "Well screw you, too," he said. _Talking to cats… I've really lost it._

Estu continued down the street, forlornly checking signs every now and then, not that he really needed to. Despite a horrible memory for names, he had a very good sense of direction. He just needed to look at something, get his mind off of being alone and lost. _Lost._ That was really what he was. He had a vague purpose and motivation, but no plans aside from getting to where he was going, no friends or family to help him now.

He kicked a second trashcan in frustration.

_Go back now and apologize_, urged his conscience. _I don't want to apologize_… Why was it that the stupid little angel on his shoulder only stopped by after the fact? _Useless… Every one's useless. I can't count on anyone._

"Ahh!" a sudden scream jolted him. He looked around worriedly. _Where did that come from?_ Without really intending to, he ran towards the scream, back to the main street, back to the crowds. He was only stopped by the click of a cocking gun. He looked up from his feet, slowly, to the figure now taking aim at him.

"One million gil… excellent," he grinned, showing off very yellowed teeth. Estu swallowed. _Okay, I've been in worse spots before… no I haven't._ "Alright men, looks like we've got a bit o' icing on our cake of gil." The gun man chuckled at his own weak joke. _Shoot... Crap... This is why you shouldn't have been a jerk to your sister.._. said the reproachful voice. He looked around, several large, fightening looking men were backing the armed man up. One of them kept a steady hand on a very small figure.

"Let's go, thief," the gunman said, shoving Estu forward. He stumbled a bit. The thugs behind him laughed as he regained his balance. He looked around, trying to think of an escape plan, as he was marched to the back street. The accomplice who guarded the small figure pushed her forward so that she walked at the same pace as Estu. He saw that she was a little girl. She shook a bit in fear as she walked, dark brown hair bouncing in a ponytail, held back by a pink ribbon.

_Wait… that girl… she's the one from the airship. How did she get here? _He looked closely at her. It _was_ the same girl he had seen earlier. She looked up, and for the briefest of moments, her dark brown eyes met his. Estu quickly looked back down, sensing an odd bit of déjà vu. _Her eyes… just like that boy's…_ Estu looked up at the few thugs that walked in front of him. An odd mix of anger and sadness stirring in his heart. What right did they have? Why mess with her? She was just a kid... innocent. Estu knew it was stupid, knew it was irrational and dangerous, but he would try to get them both out of this. "It will be okay..." he whispered quietly without looking up. She glanced at him again and nodded, a spark of bravery shining through her eyes. _I'll get us both out of this... I'm not going to be defeated now._

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Cliffhanger, hanging on a cliff... Heh, sorry. Anyway, this will hopefully get resolved (Mostly) in the next chapter, which should be done by... Monday, maybe? Hopefully. Though I think I might have to get someone to read this next one ahead of time, for reasons I can't exactly explain yet... Anyway, hope everyone liked this.**


	15. Chapter 15

One of the thugs shoved Estu again. "Keep movin'," he said rudely, prodding Estu's back with his gun. The girl beside him looked up, concern in her eyes.

"Excuse me… sir?" she began, her voice surprisingly steady. "Where are we going? I really need to get back to my friends… they're going to worry about me." Estu was a bit impressed by her courage. The thugs around him were armed to the teeth, not to mention huge. Yet the girl just asked them where they were heading, as though she were simply on a pleasant stroll. "Um… Mister, I'm kinda tired of walking so fast. Can we slow down?" she asked.

"Shudup," the man behind her said. "Jones, where is pickup anyway?"

"Corner of First and Sea Street," the yellow toothed gun slinger, apparently Jones, replied. He quickened his pace a bit, moving in front of the girl and Estu. Jones eyed both of them, smiling a toothy smirk when he spied Estu's sword. "Men, you missed this…" He reached forward, pulling the sword away from Estu. Estu grabbed it, holding on.

"This is _mine_," he said firmly. Jones laughed.

"Really, kid? Just give it over. Thing's pretty much a toy anyway… short little knife…"

"It is _not_ a toy, it's a _wakizashi_, finely crafted in Wutai, where it has been used by noble warriors for centuries," Estu said, irked by the man's disregard. Jones smirked, again showing off his crooked, yellow teeth.

"Yeah, yeah, Wutai-whatever-zashi…" He pulled it away from Estu, and handed it off to one of his men.

"Huh, materia…" he said.

"Worth anything?" another thug asked.

"…Let's see… Level one Restore, Level one Bio, Level one All… that's it… these fricking suck."

Estu clenched his fists. _Now what? There's like five of these guys, and they're so huge… sound stupid though… _ "Hey," he whispered while they examined his sword and handed it back to Jones. The girl beside him looked up inquisitively. Estu forced himself to keep a steady gaze, though the familiarity of the girl's dark eyes was unnerving. _Calm down, it's a common eye color… but it's so alike…_ "Listen… I'm going to try to get them to stop for a minute."

The girl nodded, smiling. "I think I could get them to do that," she whispered back.

"Okay," Estu replied, dropping his eyes again.

They walked in silence a few more paces, then the girl tripped. "Ow…" she whimpered, pitifully. The thug behind her nearly tripped, too, as he tried to keep moving.

"Aw, what the hell?" Jones asked.

"I scraped my knee… " the girl said in a high pitched whine. "It's bleeding! Look!" Jones and the other thugs looked over at the wound. Estu realized that with all eyes on her, he could easily escape. _No… don't be selfish, you were going to help her too… Stupid conscience… _ Estu slipped his hand into one of the thug's pockets, drawing out a knife. He smiled a bit when he saw the materia equipped – fire.

Carefully, he crouched down, clicked the knife open, and channeled the fire magic through it, setting the hem of the distracted thug's shirt ablaze. The thug stood, oblivious for a moment, then sniffed, then sniffed again. Estu smiled as he suddenly realized what was going on and ran about screaming.

"ACK! Fire! Fire!" The other four stared blankly for a moment. Estu took the opportunity to set off one of the thug's sleeves.

"Holy shit! Oh, God!" he yelled, spitting on his sleeve, as though it would help. Estu suppressed a laugh, slipping the knife into his pocket. Jones looked around in confusion.

"What the f-" but he was knocked over by one of the flailing henchmen. Estu's sword clattered to the ground as fire danced along Jones's clothes as well. Estu grinned as the other two thugs panicked and tried to put their comrades out. _I think I've found a new favorite spell._

"Hurry, let's go!" Estu quickly said to the girl. She stood, apparently unhurt from her fall, picking Estu's sword up and handing it to him. He sheathed it as they ran away from the thugs, back further away from the main street.

* * *

><p>Vincent stared at the landing troops. <em>Did they take her?<em> He wondered. Finding Marlene was all that mattered to him at that moment, but with the onslaught of Deepground soldiers, it would have to wait. _Forgive me_… he thought, readying his gun.

Tourists and shopkeepers ran for their lives as the battle began. The street erupted into chaos as troops made their way past civilians, some cruelly shoving them aside to get closer to AVALANCHE.

The Deepground troops moved forward, all of them carried an assortment of weapons. It would be a long fight. Yuffie, always prepared with materia, cast a quick Regen spell, as well as a few barriers to stop the worst of the soldiers' bullets. Denzel looked around, spying a walking stick. He picked it up, and twirled it, just as he would his metal staff. Cid searched for a replacement spear, finding nothing. Meanwhile, Vincent fired at any approaching Deepground fighter, fully intending to kill them all.

A few sword carrying soldiers rushed past the barrier. Denzel swung at them with his improvised staff, blocking their attacks and striking weak blows. Cid kept looking around for a weapon, just as Yuffie took down a halberd carrying foe. He laughed at his luck as he picked the weapon up, moving over to help Denzel fight.

Another helicopter began to hover down. Vincent first checked, trying to see if Marlene was on board, then seeing that it only carried Deepground troops, he viciously struck the aircraft with Thunderaga, his most powerful magic attack. The helicopter crashed, taking out a fruit stand and a few of the Deepground soldiers.

Death all around him, but he didn't care. A manic laughter started up in his head, along with a howl of untempered bloodlust. Vincent kept his eye on more incoming helicopters, striking each one with his magic attacks the second they came into range. Any survivors quickly met their fate with a swift bullet from Cerberus. The laughter grew louder and louder as a very few powerful foes made their way into the barriers. They were all large, heavily muscled men, each one a living giant, some perhaps over eight feet tall. Something about their movement was unnatural. Something Vincent would have noticed if he wasn't so caught up in the battle, howls from Galian and crazed laughter from Hellmasker distracting him. But Vincent simply gritted his teeth as he scratched at the large foes with his claw.

And they didn't bleed.

One of the foes, body almost disfigured by the overabundance of its muscles swung a large arm at Vincent. The gunman flew back, hitting the front of the clothing store. Vincent leapt back up, shooting at the fiend several times before slicing it again with his claw, to no avail. The monstrous beast of a soldier seemed completely immune to pain. Whatever these soldiers were, they weren't entirely human. Vincent's red eyes flickered around as he searched for a weak spot.

Yuffie focused her attention on them as well, throwing stars at it, each one infused with poison from a Bio materia. Nothing seemed to be working. The clothes of the large man ripped apart, revealing ugly surgical scars, but his helmet, Vincent noticed, seemed almost plastered to his head.

_The quickest way to kill a foe is to shoot it in the head._ This was common sense, of course, and years of training and killing had led Vincent to prove this axiom right, time and time again. So he leapt up onto the foe's shoulders, trying to pry the helmet off. It was stuck tight, but the foe flailed about wildly, trying to remove Vincent from his shoulders. It waved its arms around, knocking back a smaller, but also seemingly impervious foe. The behemoth of a man nearly shook Vincent loose. He only stayed put by digging his claw into the monster's flesh. He held on by the points of his claw for only a moment, until another of the large men swung at him, again knocking him to the ground.

Near him, Cid and Denzel, desperately fought against another of the behemoths, each of them bruised and battered; only still standing thanks to the virtue of Yuffie's Regen spell. Cid stabbed at it with the halberd while Denzel smacked at its legs. Nothing that they did was working to weaken it.

More of the normal troops were approaching, and they still struggled against the large powerful foes. Vincent's mind raced as he kept trying to fight outwardly against the enemies, and inwardly against the odd pained exhilaration that always preceded a transformation. _Not now_… he thought, struggling to keep his own form. But the voices in his head grew louder… all of them this time. Even Chaos, silent since the previous afternoon, began a long stream of unintelligible, but terrifying words. Images of mutilated bodies flashed through Vincent's head, one of them disturbing him more than the others - a pale and bleeding Yuffie, struggling against Chaos's attacks.

"NO!" Vincent shouted. But he already felt the change coming. _Not Chaos… Not Hellmasker…_ another howl rang through his mind. _Not Galian Beast._

**VINNCCCENNTT? ** A low, slow voice chimed in to the cacophony of howling, laughter, and horrible images made into words. _Death Gigas_… Vincent focused on the form of the large, slow, but powerful demon. Stupid, strong, but mostly benevolent, he would listen to orders, obey what Vincent told him, not hurt his allies. Vincent squeezed his eyes shut as he felt his form change, gaining bulk and size as Death Gigas took shape.

_Listen_, Vincent thought urgently. _These big guys won't stop, get their helmets off and crush their heads._ It was an odd feeling, being unable to directly control his own movements as Death Gigas lumbered towards the behemoths, crushing each one. Vincent unconsciously tried to turn his head, make sure the others were okay, but he was trapped within, unable to do anything but offer instruction to the large powerful demon now decimating the opposing troops.

_Good! There's one on your left about to attack_. **Leeffftt? **_Er… claw arm side. _The giant swung left, taking out another large monster soldier. Vincent felt as Death Gigas was shot with a small armory's worth of bullets. It didn't hurt exactly; it never did while he was in this form. Later Vincent would pay the price, but Death Gigas was able to ignore the onslaught of attacks and keep fighting.

"Vinnie!" Yuffie shouted. Death Gigas turned towards her voice. From within, Vincent saw that she'd been separated from Cid and Denzel, and was surrounded by far more fighters than she could take out on her own. _Help her! Hurry_. The Gigas's steps were agonizingly slow, and Yuffie was just barely holding up, using her specialized attack, Greased Lightning, as a last resort. _Hurry, please!_ Vincent urged the monster.

Death Gigas smashed one of the enemies taking aim at Yuffie. Together they finished them off. Yuffie looked up, uncertainly. "Thanks… um… Vince?" she said a bit awkwardly as she ran off to help Cid and Denzel.

The fight went on as Vincent slowly felt Death Gigas's power draining away. He staggered, fighting the last wave of attackers before collapsing and shifting back to Vincent.

Vincent tried getting up, exhausted from the transformation, clothes in tatters from the monster's size. He had no strength, and had sustained several wounds- bullets had grazed his arms and legs, his lungs burned, he was fairly certain his shoulder was dislocated. He healed abnormally fast, but still had taken more of a beating than he could handle. He fell back down, trying to crawl away, as he felt a bullet burn into his arm. Vincent winced, trying again to stand. There were only a handful of enemies left; he could still finish them off! But he staggered again, working to keep in a kneeling position as Yuffie threw stars at the last few soldiers.

"Vinnie!" she called, running towards him. Vincent looked up at her, weakly standing again. "Vinnie, are you okay?" she asked worriedly. Vincent nodded.

"…I-" he began, but succumbed to a coughing fit. He felt something caught in his windpipe, and kept coughing, trying to dislodge it. He fell to his knees and covered his mouth until the fit finally subsided, and he was able to spit out whatever had been caught in his lungs. He held the object up – a small, silver bullet, covered in his own blood.

Cid, who had limped over to where Vincent now knelt, eyed the bullet uneasily. "Shit. Vince, are you all right?"

"I will be," Vincent replied. He found the strength to stand up, already feeling his injuries mending. Cid and Yuffie nodded gravely while Denzel watched deep gashes on Vincent's arm close up. "We need to find Marlene and Tifa," Vincent said, looking around the street.

"Poor Marlene…" Denzel said quietly.

"She's such a little runt," Cid said.

Yuffie nodded in agreement. "She's probably so lost… scared…"

* * *

><p>"That was so cool!" the girl said excitedly as she and Estu ran through the street. Estu nodded, trying to keep her moving. <em>Where am I going to go? Where am I going to take her?<em> As usual, he hadn't thought ahead very far. "You just- And the fire! And your sword- well you never got a chance to use it, but it would have been so awesome!" _Please stop talking_… Estu thought, annoyed at the girl's prattling.

"Come on, we need to keep moving," Estu said impatiently. The girl slowed down, and was looking at him, quizzically. Estu grudgingly stopped. "What?" he asked the girl.

"We lost them. Shouldn't we go back to find my friends, Estu?"

"You remember my name?"

"Well yeah," she said smiling, "It's only been a day since I met you. Why would I have forgotten already?"

"Um… yeah…" Estu said, avoiding her eyes and still trying to remember her name. The girl raised an eyebrow.

"Did _you_ forget?" she asked.

"…Yeah," Estu admitted, embarrassed.

"You don't have a very good memory, do you?" she asked with mock disapproval, putting her hands on her hips. _You really have no idea. _"Well, I'm Marlene. Marlene Wallace. It's nice to meet you again!" Estu nodded, still not looking at her. Feeling a bit hot from running, he tied his jacket around his waist.

"So, my friends were back at that one clothing store… um… do you know what it's called?" Marlene asked. "I didn't really get a chance to look much. Vincent just whispered to Yuffie and left and then we got attacked and then those bad guys grabbed me and then-"

"Stop… are you always this chatty?" Estu asked. Marlene stood tiptoe for a moment, then rocked back on her heels as she considered the question.

"Most of the time, yeah," she replied. Estu sighed.

"I don't know this city that well. I only lived here for a few weeks about two years ago-"

"You lived here? That's so cool! I wish I could live here, it's so nice except for the bad guys and the guns and it's kind of hot for October, and then there's all the tourists so it's crowded and-"

"Marlie!"

"Marl_ene_," she corrected. Estu rolled his eyes.

"Sorry," he said, a bit exasperated. He looked around the street- this one totally unfamiliar. The way things were looking, he'd have to brave the main streets of town to get her back to her 'friends.' _Then what? _He asked himself. _I'll just… crap I don't know! _"Listen, we're going to go back to the center of town. Maybe one of your friends are there?"

"That sounds good," Marlene agreed.

"Good," Estu said, moving ahead of her quickly.

"Hey, wait!"

"What now?"

"You take really big steps. Can you slow down a bit? I'm running just to keep up here," she said.

"Then I suggest you keep running," Estu replied , a bit coldly. Marlene grumbled something about wishing she was taller. Estu continued onward, ignoring her struggle to keep up with him. _It'll be good for her, builds character or some such nonsense. _Not that he had been much of a model citizen of late.

"Can we talk about something?" Marlene asked. Estu kept up his pace, watching his feet as he moved along the back road. "Estu?" Estu figured that if he ignored her, she would eventually shut up. He figured wrong. "So… I like your hat," Marlene said, trying to find a conversation topic. "I don't really look good in hats, but I like ribbons. I think pink ones are the best. Pink is my favorite color… do you have one? A favorite color?" Another exasperated sigh was her only answer. "I bet it's grey, 'cause it's dull, quiet, and boring."

"You do realize I saved your life back there? Isn't that enough?" Estu asked.

"Well yeah… I'm just kind of lonely is all." She kicked a pebble along the street, looking more than pathetic. Estu slowed down a bit and crossed his arms.

"It's grey," he said.

"Huh?"

"My favorite color… grey and black are my favorites, so there you go."

"Oh," Marlene said. "So I was right, then." She looked up at Estu, again locking in with her wide, dark brown eyes. Estu looked away again, pretending to examine a trashcan. "Why do you do that?" the girl asked.

"What?" he asked, looking at his feet.

"That… you keep looking away. Are you shy or something? You don't seem shy."

"I'm not," he agreed.

"So… why are you doing that?" Estu shrugged. He could still feel her eyes, burying into him. _Please stop staring. Please stop staring…_ "You're kind of weird," Marlene noted.

"You're weird," Estu retorted.

"I didn't say it was a _bad_ kind of weird."

"So, what? It's a _good_ kind of weird?" he asked.

"No… just a _weird_ kind of weird," she said. "Are we almost there, Mr. Estu?" _Mr. Estu? Don't think anyone's ever called me that before. _He nodded.

"Just up ahead, there's a plaza. We'll start looking there." He remembered the plaza. It was just a nice opening around the corner of … something… Maybe he didn't remember as well as he thought.

The plaza was quite deserted. It looked as though it had been crowded earlier, trash and abandoned souvenirs were strewn about the street. No sign of anyone, especially not anyone he recognized from the airship.

"Do you think we should just stay here, wait for them to find us? That's what you're supposed to do when you're lost, right? …Right?" she asked. "Isn't that what you're supposed to do, Estu? It is, right Estu? Estu?"

"I don't know!"

"Why?"

"Er…" Estu looked around the plaza, distractedly examining one of the buildings. A strange chopping sound caught his attention – a helicopter loomed on the horizon. _Oh…crap_. "What street is this?" he asked Marlene. The girl looked around, finding a street sign.

"Um… corner of First and Sea Street…oh… Oh," she said, realization dawning on her face.

"Oh, indeed…" Estu replied, getting ready for a fight.

* * *

><p>Yuffie had done her best to patch Cid, Denzel, herself up. The fight had taken its toll on all three of them. Vincent was by far in the best shape, and led the other three around, calling out Marlene and Tifa's names. Yet they were nowhere to be found.<p>

"D'ya think they're alright, Mr. Valentine?" Denzel asked worriedly. Another twinge of guilt struck Vincent's heart. They were practically Denzel's mother and sister, but he couldn't find them. _Please be alive._ "Mr. Valentine?" Denzel asked again. Cid nudged his shoulder, shaking his head.

"We'll find 'em… don't worry," Cid said, though he didn't sound too certain. _If they're dead, it will be my fault. I sensed that something was wrong… I should have dragged them back while I still could… I should have…_ The muted sound of another helicopter caught his attention. He ran towards it, leaving the rest of the group behind.

"Vinnie!" Yuffie protested.

"I heard something! Come on!" _Please be Tifa… or Marlene… Tifa and Marlene… Tifa and Marlene alive… Tifa and Marlene alive and sipping a cold drink as though nothing happened_… Even though he knew the last scenario was unlikely. As he neared the sound of the helicopter, he noticed several unconscious Deepground troopers lying on the sidewalks. Another one ran into a back alley, only to be promptly thrown back by some unknown force. Tifa stepped out of the alley, popping her knuckles. She was bruised and tired looking, but thankfully alive.

"Tifa!" Denzel called out. Tifa looked up, letting out a sigh of relief.

"Is everyone okay?" she asked, glad to see the group. Vincent felt another pang of guilt he saw her sudden jolt of panic. "Marlene! Where is she?" Cid stepped forward.

"We lost her as we were attacked… I'm so sorry, Tifa."

"Lost her?" Tifa asked, fearing the worst.

"As in, we don't know where she is…" Cid explained. "C'mon, we'll all look for her." Tifa nodded.

Vincent finally spotted the helicopter he had heard. It was pretty far away, heading towards another part of town. He decided to follow it, hoping Marlene would be where it was going.

* * *

><p>"Stay behind me," Estu ordered, eying the incoming helicopter. They had managed to find their way right to where they were supposed to be going. Estu gripped his sword in his left hand, and the newly acquired knife in his right. He had tried fighting with two weapons before, though he had never mastered it. <em>Trial by fire<em>… he thought nervously.

"Estu…" Marlene whispered.

"Listen… if this is Deepground, they will NOT hesitate to kill you even if you are a kid. Trust me. If… If something happens to me, and you get out of here alive will you do me a favor?"

"You'll get out too! You're-"

"Stop," Estu said. "If you get out and I don't, I need you to find my sister Ami… and tell her I said… I'm sorry…" Estu swallowed, watching the helicopter get closer. "Can you do that? Tell her I said I'm sorry?"

"For what?" Marlene asked.

"She'll know," Estu said quietly. Some of the guilt that weighed on his heart lifted, but it only uncovered fear. Of course, Estu wouldn't give up. He knew he _couldn't_ give up… it just wasn't in his nature. He could leave, but at that point, he'd already decided to protect the girl. If this was his last stand, so be it.

But he _was_ scared. _So scared._

The helicopter landed, and six of the Deepground soldiers exited. _Six… I can take six. I can take six… _Estu kept repeating this, even though the most people he had ever fought at once were four, and even then, that was mostly luck and the element of surprise. "I can take six. I can take six." Marlene kept behind him, watching nervously as the six soldiers approached.

"…Thief," one of them said, addressing Estu. He swallowed and looked up, glaring at the featureless helmet.

"That's me…" he said with fake bravado. Estu took a step forward, holding up his sword.

"If you cooperate, no harm shall come to you," he said. Estu took a deep breath, frowning.

"I'll offer the same. Leave now, and we can forget about this." Estu knew that the offer was a long shot, to say the least. He knew it wouldn't work, there really wasn't a chance, but tried anyway.

"That," the soldier said, "is not an option." He raised his weapon, an odd pair of nunchucks. He swung them at Estu who blocked with his sword, while casting fire with the knife. The other soldier's jumped in, and Estu slashed and cast magic at them.

"Get back a bit!" he told Marlene. She ran a few yards back. Spying a sea shell by her foot, she threw it at one of the soldiers. It made contact, and rang off his helmet. Not that it did much else, though. She desparately threw the nearby objects, trying to help Estu in any way she could, but a little girl throwing street debris was no match for them.

Estu kept attacking, really that was his best defense – to keep striking. He cast a Bio- All spell, hoping to poison at least one, but with its low level, it did next to nothing. He ran back, putting a bit of distance between himself and them and tried again, striking both with Bio and with Fire. One of the weaker ones fell. _One down… Still five more._ Two of the soldiers were now poisoned, but Estu felt the drain of the attacks on his Magica. At least fighting them would be a bit easier.

He kept slashing at the remaining five, keeping them a good distance from Marlene. He was faltering though, already worn out, and they had gotten a few hits on him. He didn't have the magic power to heal himself, so he ignored his pain and kept fighting. One of the poisoned soldiers fell, still leaving four more. _Just four. Just four. I fought that many at once. _Marlene found a rock, throwing it at their leader. It stunned him for just a moment, allowed Estu to get a good swipe of his sword. The injured man fell back and the remaining three stepped up, attacking Estu with renewed speed and strength.

Estu countered the blows, stabbing with the knife at every chance he could get. He moved closer to one with a long sword, using his short range weapon to his advantage, taking him out in little time. _Three more… just three…ow… _ Cuts burned, and he could feel blood dripping down his arm, soaking through his shirt sleeve, onto the jacket tied around his waist. He kept up his defenses as poison took another soldier down. _Two…_

The leader healed himself and stood back up, swinging again with the nunchucks. The weapon knocked Estu across his head. Dizzy and confused, he fell to the ground. _Get up! Get up! Get up! _He staggered up, blocking a second attack. He felt nauseous, and still very dizzy from the blow, but sliced again at the leader, who finally was defeated.

"Just one more Estu!" Marlene shouted.

_Just one more_… But Estu couldn't… he could barely move. _No…I'm not giving up._

He stared at the last foe - another helmeted soldier, dual-wielding swords. Estu was immediately reminded of his last battle, in Junon against Argento. They both struck with their swords, spinning and moving almost like a deadly dance. Estu fought valiantly, but the foe had the advantage. He distracted Estu with swordplay, then kicked him away. Estu flew several yards, unconscious from the difficult fight. Marlene covered her eyes, but heard a loud thud when Estu hit the pavement. Everything was quiet for a moment, as though time itself had ended along with the battle.

"The hell?" the helmeted soldier suddenly asked. Marlene looked over to where Estu was knocked out. His beanie had flown off with the last blow revealing silvery-grey hair.


	16. Chapter 16

"The hell?" the last of the Deepground soldiers asked, staring at Estu.

Marlene stared as well, heart racing as memories of the Silver Haired Men flashed through her mind. It was as though it had just happened, it was so vivid. And she had been so afraid of those three. Was Estu one of them? He looked just like them with his shortly cropped silver hair. Could he…? Was that even possible? If he was… She shivered a bit. Yet, he had helped her. Wouldn't that be a bit out of character for one of Sephiroth's 'little brothers'? Still a bit fearful, she stepped closer to Estu, nudging him slightly, quietly urging him to get up.

The soldier held up a communication device, speaking a bit slowly. "This is Unit 161 requesting backup… Hello? Hello? Screw it." He moved over towards Estu, but Marlene quickly ran in front of him.

"Leave him alone, you big jerk!" Tifa had told her not to call people jerks. Maybe he'd listen if he knew she meant business. The soldier, however, made a strange sound. Marlene couldn't see his face through the helmet, but she was pretty sure he was laughing at her.

"Move aside, little girl."

"No. Estu! Estu, wake up!" she kicked at his foot, but he was out cold. Then crouched down and shook him, but that didn't work either.

"Look," the soldier said, "You're wearing at my patience. Move."

"Estu wake up! He's going to- oof." The soldier shoved her aside. She threw her hands out, catching her fall. They stung a bit… so did her knee. Marlene heard the soldier picking Estu up. She knew she couldn't let the soldier take the boy. Silver-haired or not, Estu had done his best to protect her, she couldn't just not do anything, even if he did scare her. Marlene picked up an empty bottle and threw it, striking the soldier in the head.

"Ow! What the-?" He dropped Estu and turned back towards Marlene. The girl stood, holding another bottle to throw.

"I said to leave him alone!"

The soldier took a deep breath. "Knock. It. Off." Another bottle hit him in the head. "Alright, brat, you asked for it." He moved towards Marlene, and she quickly ran back, then around Estu, using him as an obstacle, keeping on the other side of the soldier.

"Estu! Please wake up!" Not a sound… the only indication that he wasn't, in fact, dead was the unsteady rise and fall of his chest.

Trying to think of an idea, Marlene did something she had been warned all her life to not do. She picked up the knife lying next the unconscious boy. "Leave him alone, or I'll poke your eye out!" she threatened, brandishing the small knife like a sword. The soldier, at first not quite knowing what to make of the girl, stood still. Then, to Marlene's dismay, he started laughing again. "No! I- I mean it! I'll really do it!" But he just kept laughing.

Frustrated, Marlene waved the knife through the air. "Stop laughing!" To her surprise, a sudden burst of fire sent the soldier flying through the air. He ended up on his back, sprawled on the ground, smoldering and unconscious.

"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry! I didn't actually mean to!" Marlene apologized. Realizing that she'd found her chance to flee, she pulled Estu up, dragging him back to the alley way. It was difficult for her- he was so heavy! But she managed to move him, slowly but surely. As she pulled him along, she picked up his hat, and stuffed it into his pocket.

* * *

><p>As he regained consciousness, a strange series of images flashed in front of Estu's eyes – A man in a lab coat, shoulders shaking, a young, dark haired boy dropping a short sword, a red haired woman, still, not breathing, a boy wearing a black cap crying silently in a corner, a girl with a pink hair ribbon holding his sword, directly over him… <em>Wait… that one's real! <em>

"Marlene! What are you doing?" he asked, startled. The girl smiled. Somehow that disturbed Estu even more.

"You're awake!" Marlene said happily.

"Yeah, great. Now put my sword down." He made a move to take it, but was stopped by a flash of pain he couldn't quite locate. He'd taken quite a beating. Estu gritted his teeth, and laid back down. The pavement underneath him was shockingly cold, yet did nothing to numb him or deaden the pain. The cuts from swords still stung and his ears rang every time he even slightly moved his head.

Marlene still stood above him, holding the wakizashi. "I was trying to heal you…" she said a bit sheepishly. Estu sighed. The girl was just trying to be helpful, he supposed.

"All right," Estu said,"do you still have my knife?" The girl nodded. "Switch the fire materia in that for the restore materia in my sword-"

"Why?" she asked. "Can't I just use the sword?"

"How good are you with magic?" Estu asked.

"Umm… well…" She shuffled a boot across the ground.

"That's what I thought. I don't really want to end up poisoned on accident if you use the wrong spell," he said. "Now switch those two, and use the knife to cast." She switched the two orbs, but looked at the knife, uncertainly.

"Umm… I've never actually used magic before today, so…"

"Restore is a simple spell… God, my head hurts…" he touched the back of his head, wincing. _…Hat?_ He felt around for it, heart racing. _Where's my hat?_ The girl watched him curiously. _Crap, I've been talking to her without it. _He could almost sense his dad rolling over in his grave. He had always told Estu that his appearance would attract the wrong sort of attention.

"My hat…" Estu said nervously.

"Oh… sorry, it fell off during the fight. It's in your pocket." Estu pulled the hat out and put it on, looking away from her. No easy task when someone is standing over you. Marlene watched him, more curious than scared now. "How come your hair is silver?"

"It's grey," Estu said.

"That's the same thing… so, why?"

"Premature follicle aging?" Estu said uncertainly.

"Is that a thing?"

"Yes." _I think it is anyway…_

"Hmm… I don't think that's it…"

"Weren't you going to heal me?" Estu asked, changing the subject. The last thing he needed was a nosy kid asking him questions. Especially questions about himself. Especially ones he didn't know the answers to. _Especially_ when he was lying on the ground, injured, and for the most part, defenseless.

Marlene nodded and cautiously held the knife up. _She's going to stab me…._ She moved it over one of the worst cuts. _I really don't want to be stabbed._ She held it up, closing her eyes. _She's not even looking! I'm going to have to get first aid for a knife wound, too._ Marlene took a breath and made an odd face. _Does she even know what she's doing? _ Estu watched, growing more skeptical of the girl's abilities by the second. Marlene finally opened an eye.

"Did it work?" she asked.

"Am I healed?"

"…No," she sighed.

"Well there's your answer, then," Estu said. He wished he had the magic power to do it himself, unfortunately, he'd used it all in the last fight. This girl was obviously a novice - no better with simple spells than she was at fighting. …_Wait_… He realized something wasn't right. He'd been defeated. How was he back in the alley way? "Marlene, what happened to that last soldier?" Estu asked.

"Oh… I kinda… it's sort of embarrassing… but I kind of accidentally knocked him out…"

"You what?" Estu asked in disbelief.

"I didn't mean to! I just held up your knife, and he was being a jerk, and I called him a jerk even though Tifa tells me not to and-" _She's rambling again…_

"Stop. You're making my headache worse," Estu said. "How did you knock him out?"

"With fire."

Estu shook his head… bad idea as it turned out. He shut his eyes tight and took a moment for the pain to ebb away before talking. "You couldn't have knocked him out just like that. The materia in the knife isn't that powerful. You'd need… I don't know, a level 4 or something to knock him out in one hit."

"Well, that's what happened. So… should I try doing the same thing to use magic again?" Estu shrugged. "Quit shrugging, you meanie!" she said, swinging the knife. Green light flowed through it, healing all of Estu's minor wounds. All the cuts and scrapes closed up and his head felt much better. Marlene grinned. "Wow, that actually worked! …I feel dizzy."

"That happens sometimes," Estu said, sitting up. "Um… thank you, by the way."

"No problem!" Marlene said, handing the knife back. Estu clicked it closed and put it back in his pocket. Marlene sat next to him, watching with wide brown eyes. Estu turned his head away, still uncomfortable with the familiarity of that gaze. Marlene finally asked something that had been bothering her, "So… who are you exactly?"

"What do you mean? You didn't forget my name did you? After you got mad at me for doing that..."

"That's not what I meant, Estu."

"Then what _do_ you mean?"

"Ah, nothing…" she said. She sat still for a moment, thinking. "So, you're not one of those evil Sephiroth guys, are you?"

"I'm sorry, what?"

"You know, the ones that kidnapped all the kids in Edge almost two years ago? You're not… like _them_, right? You're not evil…?"

Estu considered the question. _Am I evil?_ He tapped his fingers across his knee, thinking. "I've done things I regret, but I wouldn't say I'm evil, exactly," he eventually answered. "Anyway, as far as the Edge kidnappings, I had nothing to do with it. I think I only even heard about them because my sister's kinda obsessive about watching the news."

Marlene kept watching, as though she were trying to look through him. "Hmm… Yeah… You know, I don't think you're like _them. _You aren't even that scary… You're just a kid."

"I am not! I'm fourteen years old!"

Marlene tilted her head. "Really? You don't look that old… You're very tall, but… I don't know, you kinda still look like a kid. And you were even saying things in your sleep, calling for your mom…"

"I don't _have_ a mom," Estu said.

"Then why were you calling for her?"

"I wasn't! Stop saying I was. Anyway, what are you trying to get at?"

"Nothing, really," Marlene said. "It's just… You have to admit, it's a weird coincidence, you looking so much like _them_." She rested her chin on her knees, deep in thought. "So…if what you say is true, who are you then?"

"I'm just…I don't know."

"You don't know? How can you not know?" Estu stayed quiet, examining his wakizashi for any damage. "So… what are you going to do now?" He shrugged, sheathing the blade. "Are you going to go back to your sister?"

"You ask a lot of questions."

"Well, are you? You told me if you didn't make it out of that fight to apologize for you. So, you care about her, right?" she asked.

"Well, yes, but-" Estu thought about it. Should he go back? Part of him wanted to say yes, part of him wasn't sure_. Go apologize. Go to Nibelheim. Go right to Weiss, Dad said not to, but…_ Lost. Lost and conflicted. That's who he was.

"You care about her, why not say sorry?" Marlene asked again. "You wanted me to, before."

"When I thought I was going to die," Estu said. "Things are easier to say when you don't think you'll have to live with them."

"That's a bit dark."

"Yeah, well it's true. So, there you go."

Marlene stood up, brushing off her dress. "Can we keep looking for everyone? I'm kinda getting worried about them now, with all the Deepground guys running around." Estu quietly nodded as he retied his jacket. "Do you need help up?" she asked, extending a small hand.

"I'm fine," Estu said, ignoring her outstretched arm and standing on his own. "Do you just want to lead? I don't really know where to look."

"Um… okay then. So, follow me?" She smiled confidently as she led Estu back to the plaza.

* * *

><p>The helicopter had changed course, leaving Vincent a bit unsure where to go. He kept listening, but the blades were barely audible, even to him. And everyone else was lagging behind him, none of them fully recovered from the fight. His heart dropped when the noise of the helicopter stopped completely, either it was out of range or landed. Vincent held an arm up, stopping everyone.<p>

"What's the holdup?" Cid asked.

"Quiet, I'm trying to hear…" Vincent shut his eyes, listening closely. He could hear the heartbeats of each one of his friends, distressed cries of seagulls, odd clinking sounds… suspiciously like metal striking metal. "A fight?" he said quietly. He ran towards the noise, leaving the others behind.

It was quite a while before he heard anything else, the clinking had stopped after only a few minutes. He guessed that the fight had ended. After a few more minutes of walking, he sniffed the air, smelling gasoline and trace amounts of mako. He kept moving towards the smell, finally reaching a deserted plaza, a helicopter parked nearby, and six Deepground soldiers, in various states of health. Vincent noticed one stir slightly.

Under normal circumstances, Vincent would simply leave the man alone. These were not normal circumstances, however. He walked over to the solder and picked him up with his claw arm. "A little girl, did you see her?"

"Holy crap! A vampire! I knew Weiss was making vampires!" His features were hidden beneath his helmet, but his voice sounded terrified. Vincent shook him.

"I'm not a damn vampire! Little girl, pink ribbon, brown hair, was she here or not?" For added effect, Vincent drew Cerberus, holding the tri-barreled gun up to the man

"Yeah, yeah… don't shoot, please! I got knocked out by that thief before I… I mean, those are Deepground secrets! Hail Weiss!" Vincent shook him again.

"Where is she?"

"I don't know! I just-" Vincent hit him over the head with his gun. Even through the helmet, it was more than forceful enough to knock him out again. He walked towards the center of the plaza, scanning for anything pink, listening for her laugh, her cry… nothing.

But then he heard footsteps, two sets, coming from the East. He turned wildly, calling out.

"Marlene!" No answer. _Please be alive. _He moved towards the alley way, calling her name again, and again. Finally…

"Hello? Vincent?" a call, echoing through the deserted street, the sound of footsteps, both in front and behind him as well as Tifa and the others caught up.

"Marlene?" Tifa called this time.

The little girl rounded a corner, pausing slightly. Something passed between her and the others, relief all around- everyone had made it out okay. She ran towards them, followed, a bit more slowly, by a tall boy in a black hat. Vincent only barely noticed him. There was but a single thought reverberating through his mind- _She's safe. _

She embraced Tifa and Denzel, assuring them that she was fine. Cid smiled, the rare smile he normally saved, escaping from his core warmhearted self. Even Yuffie, the rude one, the immature one, the selfish one, looked glad to see her. Vincent hung back, beyond relieved. _Everyone's fine._ No new death to be added to his list, no new 'sin' to punish. His featured actually shifted, showing a hint of a smile. One thing however, bugged him.

The boy still stood back, hands in pockets, looking away from the group, seeming unsure of what to do. Something about him seemed oddly familiar- as though Vincent had seen him before. He shook the feeling, as the boy steadily looked further away from them. The others shifted their attention to him as well. Marlene stood, pulling the boy by the arm. He looked quite uncomfortable, trying to jerk his hand away from her, but she ignored him.

"Everyone… um, actually, I guess just Yuffie, Tifa, and Vincent… This is Estu. He helped me twice today, and I probably owe him my life." She looked up at him. Estu remained quite silent, examining a broken bottle on the pavement. "Estu… This is, well, everyone. Do you want to say 'hi'?"

"Hi, everyone," the boy said. Though he looked away, he spoke clearly, without a trace of fear. Really, he seemed more annoyed than anything else.

"Hi again, Estu," Denzel said, smiling. _Again? _

Cid spoke up as well, "Hey kid. D'you find that person you knew?"

"…Yes." He gave only the simple answer, still looking away.

"Well…?" Cid prompted. The boy said nothing for a few moments. Tifa gave Cid a nudge. "Kid? You okay?"

"...Yeah, I… I need to get going. Goodbye, Marlene. Stay safe." He turned away, walking back towards the alley. Marlene grabbed onto the jacket tied around his waist. The boy backed away from her, pulling his jacket out of her grip.

"Estu, don't leave yet," Marlene said.

"I need to start walking."

"So, where are you going?" she asked. The boy was quiet for another moment, as though weighing several options.

"Nibelheim," he finally answered.

"You're _walking_ to Nebelheim?" Denzel asked.

"Well, yes," Estu replied, not even glancing back.

"Kid, we're going there, if you need a lift," Cid said, looking slightly worried for Estu. Estu turned a little, pausing midstep. He raised his eyes, just a bit.

"You're going there? So… your offer still stands, then? I'm not sure I should… I'd be intruding. I'll just walk, thank you."

"Like hell you will, kid! You can't #$%ing walk to Nibelheim. It'd be like swimmin' back to Junon. Quit being such a dumbass." The boy looked a bit taken aback. Marlene looked up at him, smiling.

"Mr. Highwind always talks like that, don't be upset."

"I'm not!" Estu protested.

"Well, will you at least walk back to the ship with us and think about it? I mean, you need to head west anyway, right?" she asked. Estu shrugged. "Quit that, it's annoying."

"You're annoying."

"Yeah, well, you should come with us, otherwise you won't get to Nibelheim for a month, and you'll get eaten by monsters, or attacked by those Deepground guys, or lost, I bet you'll get lost, or…"

"Marlene, you're doing that chatty thing again," the boy said.

"Well, come with us… please?" Marlene asked. The boy looked uncertain, but slowly nodded his head. "Yay! C'mon, I'll make sure you get to know everyone! Just remember their names, okay? I know you're forgetful…" She again pulled the boy by the arm, Estu looking quite unnerved, but also a bit happy, even though he didn't seem to want it to show.

Cid chuckled a bit, turning towards Vincent. "Looks like Marlene found a new friend. Kinda reminds me of you and Aerith."

"Me?" Vincent asked.

"No, I meant Yuffie. What d'you think?" Vincent watched the two - Marlene prattled away as Estu nodded, looking off to the side. There _was_ a bit a familiarity there. Vincent cracked a second smile for the day, as he remembered a time long gone by.

* * *

><p>"Did you have to put me on the spot like that?" Estu asked. Marlene had finally released his arm, and he walked, hands again in his pockets. They were further in front of the others, and Estu could feel their eyes on him. <em>They aren't watching you. Stop being paranoid<em>. But he couldn't help it. _Stop staring…_

"Well, how else was I supposed to get you to come?" Marlene asked, smiling again. Estu frowned at the implications of her statement.

"Did you… you did that on purpose, then? You manipulated me."

"…Did I? I'm sorry. I didn't really mean to."

"And _you_ ask if _I'm_ evil…" Estu huffed. _Manipulated by a little kid!_ He couldn't believe it.

He kept his eyes down as they walked back up the hill towards the Cliffside. _Am I making the right decision?_ But, then again, he didn't really have a choice in the matter. He had his heart set on Nibelheim, and knew he wouldn't be able to ignore the one clue he had. He was, after all, a victim of his own willpower. Perhaps he should've gone back to Ami… _No, that ship's sunk. I think it'll be best for her, she doesn't need me in her life. She said herself, she hasn't been as happy in years._ But the feeling of guilt still tugged at him. _Don't worry about that. You have your mission, she has her life. When this is over… _would it ever be over?

It wasn't until they reached the airship that he realized there was a much more obvious problem at hand. "Airship…" he muttered. The group gathered behind the two, and boarded, oblivious to his hesitation. When everyone was on board but Cid, the pilot tilted his head a bit.

"Go on, kid."

Estu looked up at the airship, backing away. "I changed my mind. I'll just walk." He started to walk off, but the pilot, with surprising strength grabbed his sleeve. And for the second time that week, Estu was forcibly shoved onto an aircraft.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: This ended up being a lot more Estu & Marlene-centric than I'd hoped... ah well. I'll focus more on the others in the next few chapters. Chapter 17 will be done when its done. Probably in a few days... its amazing how much free time I have when I'm stuck in the middle of nowhere :( . Oh how I miss thee, sweet suburbs... **


	17. Chapter 17

"So, here's Bunk Room-1… this is where you'll sleep. You'll just be rooming with Denzel and Marlene, if that's okay?" Tifa asked. Estu gave a quick nod. She had been showing him around the airship, while he was trying not to lose his breakfast. They had already experienced a bit of turbulence, which made it hard to pretend he wasn't hundreds of feet up, on an aircraft, which could crash at any minute…. _Stop thinking about that. _

"So, that's about it. We'll land later tonight to eat, so just make yourself at home til then, alright?"

"All right," Estu replied. Tifa exited the tiny bunk room and he sat down on one of the beds. After a moment, he heard footsteps coming down to the room. The door opened up just a crack, and a dark brown eye peered in. "I see you Marlene."

"Oh… Well do you like the room? It's kinda little," she said, entering the room. Estu shrugged. "Hmm…" She sat on the adjacent bed, twiddling her thumbs. "So, I have a question."

"Not surprising," Estu said.

Marlene stuck her tongue out at him. "I don't ask_ that_ many questions. Actually it's really more of… a request." Estu tilted his head to indicate he was listening. "Well… um… after what happened today, I started thinking about stuff…" She paused, kicking her legs.

"Like?"

"Just… there's been a lot going on the last few days… no, the last few weeks, really. And I think there's even more that people aren't telling me. Today, I didn't want to show it, but… I was really scared. I felt so powerless, standing back, keeping behind you. All I could do was throw stuff, and that didn't do much. Anyway, I guess I just wanted… I mean, I guess…" She paused again. _Spit it out. _ "I want to learn how to fight. Will you teach me?" _…What?_ Estu looked up briefly.

"Me? You want _me_ to teach you how to fight? Why?" he asked.

"Well… I guess you see there's been a lot of danger lately. And every time I get in trouble, someone has had to protect me. Denzel, Vincent, you… if there's trouble I've always had to depend on someone else. Well I'm sick of it!" She stood up, raising a fist. "I'm tough too! I wanna fight! But… no one will teach me. But you're really good at it! You totally would've been okay if there were less of those Deepground guys. So, that's where you come in."

Estu crossed his arms. "Where I come in? Look, I _just_ met you. What do you want me to do?"

"Well, I want you teach me how to fight. I already said that."

"No thanks, I'm just here for the ride, remember?"

"But…" she pouted. Then looked up, eyes wide, trying to look cute. Estu kept his eyes off to the side, though, so she moved over on the bed, trying to get him to see her. _Really, Marlene?_

"That doesn't work on me."

"Meanie," she said. "Well, if you won't teach me, I'll have to tell everyone about your hair."

"Seriously? You're going to blackmail me?" he asked. _This kid's a lot more devious than people give her credit for. _ Marlene looked surprised at Estu's comment.

"I'm not blackmailing you! That would be so mean."

"You just said I had to teach you, or you'd tell everyone… well you get it. That's extortion, that's blackmail. And it's pretty clever, actually." Marlene looked down, biting her lip. "From what you've seen of me, you know I keep to myself, and would rather not have people know too much about me. The whole manipulation angle is bit surprising though. Thought you were a nice kid."

"I am… I'm sorry, it's just… I feel like I don't have anyone else to ask. All the grownups are so busy or they just think I'm a little kid. You understand that, right? People underestimate you because you're young, right?" _Way too often_… Estu thought. _Course, that never seems to get me any sympathy from them either._ "All I want is to be helpful. I don't want to be that kid who just tags along and then hides when stuff gets scary. I want to actually be a part of AVALANCHE, just like my dad was."

"You're not old enough," Estu pointed out.

"I am too!" she yelled. "I turn eight in just a few weeks! Denzel's been fighting with them and he's only about two years older than me. Anyway, I'm not going to not be young forever, and if I can't defend myself, I won't _ever_ get 'old enough' to fight!"

"That's a bit dark."

Marlene opened her mouth, but stopped as she realized she had said the exact same thing to Estu earlier. She frowned and spoke a bit forlornly, "It is dark… but like you said, it's true, so there. People I knew… _people I loved_… have died. And some… I don't even know where they are or if I'll ever see them again." Estu noticed her voice started to shake. Marlene paused, and looked down sadly, trying to compose herself. _Is this really the same overly cheerful kid that kept bugging me today?_ He wondered what all the little girl had been through. She looked back up after a moment and continued, "You said yourself that Deepground doesn't care about killing kids, so doesn't it make sense that I should be able to fight?" She took a slow breath. "So, will you help me, or not?"

Estu considered her request. "… I see what you're saying. I don't… I don't really have a choice in the matter, which I _don't_ like. But…" He looked down again. "But I guess I'll help you."

"Really?" Marlene asked excitedly.

"I'm not the best person for the job," he warned. "I've never even taught anyone anything, but if I'm the only one who can or will… Anyway, like I said, I don't have a choice, do I? I can't have you telling everyone my secrets. Wish there was a way you could forget that…"

"I… didn't really mean it. I wasn't going to tell anyone. I mean, I don't think you're a threat or anything, and I'm a pretty good judge of character," she said. _Good judge of character huh? I'm surprised she likes me, then. _"Anyway, I'm sorry. I was just worried you'd brush me off like everyone else. Are you mad at me?" she asked. Estu shrugged. "Would you stop doing that? I mean geez! Would it kill you to give a yes or no?"

"Yes." Marlene tried a look of indignation, but ended up laughing. Estu smiled a bit, as well - glad he was able to diffuse some of the tension. "So, when are we starting your lessons? I'm still pretty worn out from today, but I should be okay by tonight."

"Really? You got the stuffing beat out of you… um, no offense. But you'll be fine just like that?"

"I did tell you I'm tough, right?" he asked.

"Well, good. I'm tough too!" she said, standing up. "Um… I don't think everyone will like it if I'm learning from you, so… maybe we sneak out while they're asleep?"

"You'll be tired, then," he pointed out.

"No I won't, I can just take a nap every day, and I'll be fine. Um, do you have to sleep normally?"

"Yes. What sort of a question is that?"

"Well, you're just all, you know," she said. "You're kinda different. It's not a bad thing, I just wasn't sure."

"You're acting like I'm some sort of alien," Estu said.

"Well…" she began, but seemed to decide against saying whatever she was going to. "Never mind. I'll see you later, alright?" With that, she skipped out of the room.

* * *

><p>Vincent sat in the control room, cleaning his gun. The battle had been one of the worst he'd been in, at least the worst in a while. Strangely, he felt much better than he had that morning, as though the stress of keeping the others safe and relief of finding Marlene caused a catharsis of sorts. The voices had died down and he was actually able to think clearly. He looked up at Cid, now focusing on flying, and Denzel, who after the long fight, had passed out in one of the seats. For the time being, the kid would have to forgo learning about piloting to get a bit of well deserved rest, though the goggles he now wore were bound to leave an imprint around his eyes. "Poor kid," Vincent noted. Cid briefly glanced back at the boy.<p>

"Poor kid," he agreed. "Y'know, I never would've thought he'd be this useful … he makes a good fighter. I reckon this sort of shit will end up coming back to haunt him later, though." He quickly lit a cigarette held between his teeth. "Kids shouldn't have to go through this sort of stuff."

"They don't really have a choice anymore. They've lived in an unstable world their whole lives… actually, even Tifa and Yuffie have. It's been a long time since there was anything even resembling peace."

"We had somethin' good goin' for a while. I guess it just can't last. Damn that's depressing," Cid said. "D'you ever get the feeling that no matter what you do, nothing changes?"

"You do realize who you're talking to?" Vincent asked.

"Huh… yeah, sorry." Cid sighed, and then turned back. "Denz-! Ah, #$%… he's asleep… I've gotten a bit used to him doin' whatever I tell him. Vince, can you turn on the radio or something? I need to get my mind off this shit."

"Very well." Vincent said, standing up. He moved over to the ship's radio and examined it. "Hm… Cid, is this airship particularly old?"

"Ridiculously old. I'm shocked the thing still flies. I'd say it's got twenty-five, maybe thirty years or more of wear and tear on it. Why?"

"I used to have a radio like this one. Apparently, they were discontinued after Shinra started making all the household appliances. It's been… well, a while since I've seen one…" He turned the dials, trying to find a signal.

"So Vincent Valentine finally finds electronics he's not scared of… Good to know, I guess." Cid listened to the static as Vincent turned the dial. An odd snippet of dialogue caught his ear. "Hey, go back a sec. What was…?" Vincent went back, a heavily distorted voice was rapidly speaking on the airwaves.

"_This is_ _Zöld, Voice of the free people of Junon. Today reports are trickling in about a battle that shook the very core of Costa del Sol. So what happened there? That's what you're wondering right? Well it looks like Deepground suffered utter failure at the hands of AVALANCHE. That's right - the group that stopped the end of the world is very much alive."_

"Holy, shit… who is this?" Vincent shushed him, turning up the volume a bit.

"_And get this! Deepground troops were reported to have fought with a boy approximately ten years old. Official quotes from Deepground are as follows, 'the kid had this staff, sir, and he was skilled. Yes I took a few shots at him, and no I didn't regret it.' And if that's not enough, Commander Argento replied with the following, 'Well did you at least kill the kid?' Our new military leader, ladies and gentlemen! More to come soon as my little birds come in from Deepground HQ, formerly known as the Central Junon Skyscraper. Until then, stay safe and spread the word. __Zöld__ out."_

The radio went silent. "Holy shit," Cid said. "That… that's a supporter, Vince! He's broadcasting to the whole world. That's really #$%ing great!"

"How does he know about Deepground's inner workings?" Vincent wondered.

"Who cares, he's on our side. That's the best thing that's happened all day. Well that and the fact that everyone survived that battle… and we recruited our first soldier."

"Are you taking about that boy? Who is he, exactly? You and Denzel acted as though you had already been acquainted."

"Yeah," Cid said. "Picked the kid up in Junon. Apparently Denzel helped him out of a tight spot. He was trying to protect Reeve, but… well, he is just a kid. And he gave me the tip about the phones."

"Hm." _And how did he know, exactly? And why does he look so familiar? Perhaps I just saw him in Junon._

"Seems like a decent kid, at any rate… bit odd, though. Anyway, mind searching for some proper tunes?" Vincent nodded again and twisted the knob on the radio.

* * *

><p>Estu walked around the inside of the ship. Keeping his feet moving had always seemed to help him when he felt troubled, kept his mind off distractions, helped him focus on his goals…well <em>goal<em>, at any rate. He'd found a route that kept him away from the main areas where the others were likely to be, but gave him enough room to walk without turning around every two steps. On his way back to his room, he noticed the short haired young woman standing outside his door. "Hey, Beanie-Boy."

"Hello… Er, could you not call me 'Beanie-Boy?' Sounds weird."

"Sounds more normal that 'Estu.' Who named you that anyway?" she asked.

"My dad, I guess… and there's nothing wrong with my name!"

"Yeah, except it's a weird name."

"You have a weird name," Estu grumbled.

The young woman smiled mischievously. "Do you_ know_ my name?" Estu looked down awkwardly. _…Something with an H…? No… er… J? No… um… crap! _"Well," the woman said, making a grand gesture to herself. "I happen to be a great and powerful warrior, world renowned materia hunter, ninja, and spy, not to mention savior of both Wutai and the world as a whole. My name, Beanie-Boy, is Yuffie Kisaragi, just so ya know."

"Yuffie Kisaragi… you mean you're the emperor's daughter? You're the princess of Wutai?" he asked.

"Sure am… and you're the only one around here who seems to know it… Anyway, I just wanted to say, you really should work on your materia collection. These are all so weak." She held out four orbs, three green, and one blue. Estu looked at his knife and wakizashi - all the slots were empty.

"How did you-" She grinned again. "Give those back." Estu snatched the orbs and began rearranging them.

"You should keep your guard up, too. Well, see ya, Beanie-Boy." Estu glared at the back of her head as she walked off. _Note to self, the princess of Wutai is a self-important, kleptomaniac jerk. I just hope she doesn't get the idea to steal my hat._

* * *

><p>It was about three o'clock in the afternoon when Denzel finally woke up. He pushed his new goggles up and rubbed his eyes – surely enough, there was a square-ish imprint where they had pressed into his face, which got a laugh out of Cid. The music seemed to put them all in good spirits in spite of everything else. Vincent had found a thick, dog-eared mystery novel, hidden in one of the corners of the airship, apparently long forgotten. It wasn't the best piece of literature in the world, and the pages and cover looked as though they had seen better days, but it would suffice. He sat, leaning on one of the walls, reading.<p>

The moment of peace was broken as Yuffie ran into the control room. "Vinnie! …Oh, hey there, didn't see you. Whatcha reading?"

"Do you need something, Yuffie?" Vincent asked.

"Ah, nothin' really. So… what is that?" She snatched it out of Vincent's hand, reading the back cover. "Huh… you didn't really strike me as a whodunit type of guy."

"It's just what I found on here… and may I have it back, please? It was getting good." Yuffie dropped the book, and sat down. Vincent raised an eyebrow at her. "Do you need something or not?" he asked.

"Do you have any major plans for the day after tomorrow?" she asked.

"No, not really. We should be getting to Cosmo Canyon though, correct ,Cid?" Cid gave an affirmative grunt. "Well, in that case, I imagine I'll be catching up with Nanaki… why do you ask?"

"Are you leaving after that?"

"I don't know yet… why?"

Yuffie pursed her lips a bit. "Oh, no reason… just wondering. Later Vinnie." She left the room just as quickly as she entered. Vincent shrugged and picked the novel back up.

"Y'know, sometimes you're pretty retarded, Vince," Cid said, a bit suddenly.

"Excuse me?"

You know she's all freaked out about you leavin', right?"

"…She'll get over it."

"I don't know about that."

"She will. Anyway, what does it matter if I leave? It won't affect her very much. She has other friends."

"Vince, you do know she's got a crush on you?"

Vincent frowned, remembering the labyrinth. _ She wanted me to forget about that… why can't she? _ "Well, she'll need to get over that, too. I'm too old for her… Besides, we've got nothing in common."

Cid laughed, "Aw, Vince, you'll break her heart."

"Stop… you sound like a school girl."

"Hey Denzel, would you mind seein' if he's blushing?"

"Um…" Denzel said a bit hesitantly.

"I don't blush, Cid. Anyway, what does any of this matter to you?" Vincent asked.

Cid shrugged. "Just hoping she'd convince you to stick around. We wouldn't have won that battle without you, you know. Even though Estu helped Marlene, she wouldn't have had anyone to go back to. We'd all be on our way back to Junon, if not just dead. Besides, she probably doesn't want you leavin' on your birthday."

"…What day is it?"

"The eleventh."

"Huh…" Two days and he'd be sixty-one… not quite a milestone year, but still. "It's just a birthday, I'll have more… a lot more," he said.

"Yeah, and there's no guarantee, that we'll be able to celebrate any of 'em with you."

"Well, I don't want to celebrate anyway."

"Yeah, especially if you're hidin' somewhere because you're #$%ing scared."

"I have a good reason. If something happened and I hurt one of you-"

"Don't you think you'll feel even worse when one of us gets killed 'cause you're not there?" Vincent raised the book a bit, feeling ashamed. _I never even thought about that… He has a point, though…_ "Look, Vince, I don't really… you do what you do. I know not me or anybody else can force you into anything… and it's all depressing in here again. Denzel, find better music."

Denzel, who had watched the two argue back and forth, jumped at being addressed. "Sure, sir," he said. He turned the dial to a more upbeat station, and then left the two adults in the control room.

* * *

><p>"Hey, look out the window!"<p>

"No, thank you," Estu said, eyeing the window cautiously.

"No there's these birds! They're huge!"

"That's nice."

Marlene sighed. "Estu, you're really boring sometimes."

"You're boring," Estu replied.

"Is that the only insult you can come up with?" Marlene asked. "It's not very good… doesn't even make sense half the time."

"You don't make… shut up."

Estu heard a creak as the door opened. He looked up to see Denzel entering the room. Marlene smiled and waved. "Hey Denzel! Look at these birds, they're huge!" Denzel walked over to the bunk room's tiny porthole window.

"Wow… they are pretty big."

"So how come you're not in the control room?" Marlene asked.

Denzel slumped down next to her. "Cid and Mr. Valentine are fighting…"

"What about?" Marlene asked.

"Oh, you know," he said casually, "Cid told Valentine he's stupid, Valentine still wants to leave. Apparently Yuffie has a crush on him."

"Aw… that's kinda sweet," Marlene said. "But he still wants to leave? Why?"

"He mentioned something about hurting people… I think he forgot I was in the room with 'em. Anyway, don't worry about him, he's just some stupid depressed vampire."

"He is not! He's a wonderful person, Denzel. You just need to give him a chance."

"Who are we talking about?" Estu asked, a bit lost.

"Vincent Valentine… The tall, dark, and gloomy one," Denzel explained.

"You said yourself that he isn't that bad," Marlene said.

"Yeah, well it's hard to relate to the guy, he's so freaking quiet… no offence Estu."

"I'm not quiet," Estu said.

"You speak in, like, five word sentences. "

"No, he doesn't. You just don't know him yet."

"Neither do you, you just met him. He could be a Deepground spy for all you know."

Estu crossed his arms. "I'm sitting right here."

"Oh," Denzel scratched the back of his head. "I was just speaking hypothetically… unless you are a spy?"

"I'm not a spy… are we landing soon?" he asked.

"Um… couple of hours?" Denzel said. _Great. _ "Hey, so do you want top or bottom bunk?"

"I want top!" Marlene said.

"You're too little, you'll fall off," Denzel said. Marlene pouted again and turned away.

"You can have top," Estu said. Denzel nodded and grinned. "Anyway, I'm going to go walk some more…"

"See, Denzel, that was more than five words," Marlene said.

* * *

><p>Vincent stepped out of the airship, beyond relieved to escape from the tension between him and the others and the horrible karaoke pop that Denzel had left on the radio. He didn't make a move to change it, and Cid hadn't asked him to, so they both ignored it until he landed the airship on a flat strip of land near the river that separated the Gongaga area from the Northern Central continent. He noticed the new boy looking equally happy to be on solid ground, for whatever reason. Their eyes met briefly, before the boy looked back away, and Vincent had to shake the odd sense of déjà vu again.<p>

Cid was building a fire for Tifa to cook. It had already been decided that she was the only capable chef among their group. Yuffie, being impatient, tended to leave things burnt or underdone, or on rare occasions, both at the same time. Cid, on the other hand, simply didn't care about what he ate. Vincent always thought it a bit odd that the man would demand the highest quality cigarettes and tea, but when it came to actual sustenance he didn't really bother. Vincent, of course, tended not to eat much to begin with, and had never really gotten an opportunity to perfect his culinary skills before… Not that it mattered now. And Tifa seemed to find cooking relaxing, anyway.

He found a quiet stump to sit on and watched as Marlene and Denzel ran around, playing tag, while Estu stood back, curiously observing. It had been a while since the two were able to simply be kids. _Cid was right, children shouldn't have to go through this stuff. _Both of them, at the young ages of seven and ten had lost their birth parents and adopted fathers… though Vincent still believed that Cloud was out there, somewhere. But you would never know their troubles from looking at the two. They were resilient… amazingly so.

As they gathered around the fire to eat, Vincent sat with them. He still didn't know what he was going to do when they reached Cosmo Canyon, but in the mean time, he would spend as much time with his friends as he could. A few weeks before, he hadn't realized how attached he was to them, but now… For the first time in four years, he sat around the fire with them after a long day of fighting and flying. It reminded him of the old days, but… somehow the missing faces seemed even more prominent than those present. Cloud, Barret, Cait Sith… _Aerith_… It was good to know he'd at least see Nanaki in a few days. Meanwhile, they, the survivors talked and laughed about close calls that day, focusing on the present. _Perhaps I should do the same. _

They all finished dinner and cleaned up. Tifa moved to put out the fire, but turned to Vincent. "Do you want this? You'll be warmer if you're staying out here." Vincent nodded. "Okay… good night, Vincent."

"Good night, Tifa."

"Promise you won't leave tonight."

"_Tonight_. I won't leave _tonight_."

She smiled briefly. "Thanks, Vincent."

"You're welcome… thank you, by the way."

Tifa looked back, confused. "For what?"

"For caring," he said. Tifa blinked and nodded, though the rare sentiment shocked her. Before heading back to the airship, she gave Vincent a quick hug. And he let her, though she was sure it made him uncomfortable. Vincent sighed as she left, and opened up the book he found, reading by the light of the fire.

* * *

><p>"Estu," Marlene whispered. "You still awake?"<p>

"Yeah," he replied. "I'm going to go out and find a good spot, you get dressed and meet me, okay?"

"Okay."

He quietly stood and walked out of the ship, careful to avoid the insomniac man in black. He found a good spot, enough room to move, out of earshot, but shielded by the ship so no one would see, and waited until Marlene came out with him. He rolled his eyes when he saw that she was wearing another dress. This one pink.

"Marlene, really?"

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"You can't fight in a dress."

"Why not?" the girl asked. "I've got shorts underneath, and I can move around… plus it matches my ribbon."

"You can't just fight in a dress though. I mean, who fights in a dress? They'd get themselves killed in seconds."

"I had a friend that always fought in a dress! And it was pink, too."

"Yeah," Estu said, annoyed. "And I'll bet she managed to get herself killed, didn't she?"

Marlene's expresion suddenly went blank. "Um… actually…"

"Oh…" Estu said. "I – I'm sorry. I didn't know." Marlene nodded, still looking down. "Er... you can wear the dress if you want… it will be fine, really. Just make sure you can still move, okay?"

"Okay," she said, looking up again. Estu was beginning to get the feeling that he'd have to be really careful not to upset her. Any given topic was starting to seem like stepping out onto a field of landmines, each step a possible trigger for the slip in her smile. _Poor kid_… he thought, though he didn't usually feel much for anyone, especially people he'd just met.

"All right," he said, trying to move on. "You've got no prior training, right?" She nodded. "Okay… well, for today, we'll start with some simple hand to hand stuff… um… I'm sorry, I'm just trying to remember how I learned this…"

"Who taught you how to fight?" she asked. Estu hesitated for a moment, but decided that it was a mostly harmless question.

"My dad, mostly. And my sister taught me a few things, too."

"How old were you?"

"Um… I don't know exactly… I guess, it wasn't long after-"he stopped, remembering she knew nothing of his past. "I mean… I was about your age, maybe a bit older…"

"See, so I'm not too young, right?" she said smiling. Estu shook his head.

"No… I was probably too young. If I had a choice, I would rather just have a normal childhood, not running or fighting all the time..." he said. "Once you start fighting or running, it seems like you never get a chance to stop. At least, that's what my dad used to say…"

"Who is he? He sounds pretty wise."

Estu smiled a bit. "He was great… Probably the best person I ever knew… not that I really knew a bunch of people, but, you know. He used to be a Shinra security officer, but he was fired, right around the same time I… never mind, it's a long story, and I don't really know all of it."

"Why?"

"It all happened years ago… I don't really remember well. All I know is Ami said he lost his job and had to move right around the same time I showed up…" Estu suddenly wondered if it had been his fault. It was a pretty big coincidence at any rate, and he still couldn't remember those first few weeks very clearly.

"Showed up? Do you mean when you were born?" she asked. _Oh, crap… I didn't want to tell her that._

"I was kind of adopted… I can't remember anything before, so don't even ask."

"Huh," Marlene said thoughtfully. "I was adopted, too. I was really little though, so I don't really remember either." _Really? Maybe we have more in common than I thought. _"Anyway, let's get started! I want to fight!"

"So you told me. Er, I guess just show me what you think you know. I'll counter." Marlene nodded, taking a punch at him. She would attack, and he would counter and offer pointers to improve her form. It seemed as though she had some idea of what she was doing, but she was so little, she wouldn't be able to do much in a fight.

"You've got the right moves…" he noted.

"Tifa's a martial artist. I've seen her practice before."

"Well, that's a good start, but… you're just so tiny…"

"I'm normal height and weight for my age!" she said.

"That's the problem… I think even with a weapon, you just don't have enough mass or strength to do much. …Unless…"

"Unless what?" she asked.

"Well, if what you said earlier about the fire is true, you might make a good mage… It would be more difficult, but if you combined magic attacks with dodge-based defenses, you could actually have a chance."

"Really… like some sort of tumbler magician?"

"Sort of, but that's more for show than fighting." He looked at her thoughtfully. "Actually, yeah… since you're so little… no offense, you just are… but since you're little, you're a really small target. And pretty light on your feet, so you'd be good at just avoiding attacks. And with magic, it wouldn't even matter that you're not very strong. I think that's our best bet."

"Cool, so when do I start?" she asked eagerly.

"We'd need to get you some materia… and something to channel it with… Maybe just arm guards? Hm… " He paced a bit, thinking. "Why don't we just go to bed for now, I'll think of some good dodge moves and we'll practice them tomorrow."

She sighed, "All right then… this was a _really_ short lesson…"

"I saved your life today."

"I saved yours… when you got knocked out." _Touché._ He shrugged again, knowing it would annoy her, and walked back onto the airship. Tired from the long, _long_ day he threw himself onto his bed and fell asleep almost instantly.

* * *

><p><em>The father stood, shaking. Is he crying? No… father never cries… why? Why is he upset? Did I do something? "Father…" the dark haired boy said a bit nervously. The father looked up, teardrops falling past his glasses.<em>

"_Your mother is dead… I'm so sorry…" The boy stared as though he had heard wrong. _

"_Dead…?" It couldn't be… there was no way… No. He ran into the room where she was and saw her as the two nurses pulled a sheet up, covering her beautiful face, her brilliant red hair. "Mother! No! Stop pretending! Wake up!"_

_One of the nurses turned back towards the father, she held a very small bundle in her arms… brother? The boy wondered. But no… he wasn't supposed to be born for another month… more than a month. That was what they said. "Doctor, you're son is alive, but premature and weak… we'll need to care for him here for a while." The father stared at the bundle in horror. _

"_That is not my son. I only have one son."_

_Six years pass and the twelve or thirteen year old boy has the conversation with his father again._

"_Then train my little brother! He'd want to, he likes making you happy, father. Just give him a chance."_

"_He put you up to this didn't he?" The sounds of footsteps running away… and the older brother ran after, entering a room with a wide window, looking down several stories. A tiny boy wearing a black cap cried silently in a corner. ...Wait...Is that me? _

"_Brother…" the boy said. The younger brother turned, showing off a few strands of red hair underneath his cap. Guess not..._

"_What do you want? You hate me too, don't you?"_

"_No… no one hates you…"_

"_He does! He always has! It's all your fault, you just had to be the favorite, didn't you?"_

"_No… no… please, I still care about you… we're brothers."_

"_You are not my brother!" The younger boy stood up glaring. Suddenly, the boy grew taller, his features shifted to someone much more familiar._

"_Ami?" Estu asked, a bit shocked._

"_You are not my brother!" she shouted, pushing him back. Estu felt himself crash through the window. Air rushed past him, he couldn't see the ground. He was falling, falling!_

"_No!"_

"NO!" Estu yelled, sitting straight up and hitting his head on the bunk above him. There was a quick panicked yelp and a loud thud. Denzel , who had fallen off the bunk, sat up, looking around in panic.

"What's going…? Estu! You scared the hell out of me! Don't do that!"

"Denzel, don't talk that way…" Marlene said, rubbing her eyes.

"Well what did you do that for?" Denzel asked angrily.

Heart still pounding, Estu looked from one to the other, trying to remember where he was. The last day came rushing back to him. Embarrassed and scared, he fumbled around trying to think. "I-" he began, voice shaking with fear. "I… I just… I need some air." Then tossed off the covers and ran out of the airship.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: What a long day… It's been, what? Three? Four chapters? But I'm finally done with October 11, yay… the longest day in history, apparently. Also, it was very hard to resist making an "Hey, I just met you, and this is crazy," ****joke at the top. But I didn't! Because that would be stupid… especially if Estu said it. Anyway, judging by the pace I'm writing, 18 should be done by the end of this weekend. I'm trying to work on a good Estu&Vincent bit, and I think if I wrote it now it would go something like-**

**"Hello there Estu..."**

**"Um.. hi, you're Vincent, right?"**

**"Yes, I used to be the main character as well."**

**"Oh... sorry."**

**"You should be." *shoots Estu.**

**...haha... yeah... I should probably stop typing now.**


	18. Chapter 18

Estu sat outside the airship, tapping his fingers across his knee, taking quick breaths, trying to calm himself_. Pull yourself together. It was just a dream. Just a dream._ But he couldn't shake the feeling that something was very wrong with it. Estu wasn't creative, far from it, really. He didn't think he could make that sort of thing up, even on a subconscious level. And something about it was frighteningly real… at least before Ami had shown up. _Always the same guy… why?_ The question was driving him crazy, but he knew he needed to ignore and move past his sleep troubles. If only it was that easy.

"Dammit…" he said. "You're fine. It's over. It didn't even happen to you. You weren't there… I'm talking to myself." He laughed - an odd release of anxiety. _Yeah… I'm the tough one… Pathetic…_ He looked down, holding his head in his hands. _You're freaking out about nothing. Nothing_… When he thought about it, the dream itself wasn't even frightening. Stress, he decided, was the cause. Nothing more. He looked up, to see the man in black standing over him, red eyes flashing from the light of the fire.

"AH!"

"Shh. You're going to wake everyone up, talking like that," Vincent said.

"I…" Estu switched to a whisper. "I'm sorry… Did I wake you? I woke Denzel and Marlene… I… I'm really sorry…" Vincent simply shrugged and moved back towards the fire. He paused briefly and turned back.

"If you can't sleep, you may sit with me. I'm not the best company, but the fire's still warm." Estu considered, wondering if what Denzel said was true and the man actually was a vampire. He looked a bit like one with his hollowed red eyes, pale skin, and black clothes. Estu mused that all the guy really needed was a cape to complete the look. _Don't be stupid, vampires aren't real._ He eventually walked over to the fire. He'd just sit long enough to get his thoughts together. The man looked up from a book as Estu sat down.

"Hm."

"What?" Estu asked. The man gave no answer, which was fine with him. Estu didn't feel like starting a conversation. He held his hands out – they had gone numb in the cold October air. He had never understood why certain areas of the world were colder than others. It seemed quite random, though he thought he'd read it had something to do with lifestream flow. The fire cracked and popped, providing the only noise as the two sat in silence. Estu had always liked fire. The warmth of the flames made him feel drowsy and relaxed. He rested his chin on his knees, eyes drifting shut as the sounds of flipping pages and the crackling flame lulled him asleep.

No dreams, really, just a soft tune in the back of his mind… Something slow and soothing, but also slightly melancholy… Something halfway between a lullaby and a dirge…

"Get up. We're leaving."

Estu opened an eyelid, slowly peering around. The first rays of light were glowing on the horizon. The man in black stood above him, watching with wary crimson eyes. _Please stop staring._ "I'm up…" Estu muttered, standing. He felt sore and stiff from the awkward sleeping position, though he didn't think his blood had been drained, which sort of punched a hole in his vampire theory. "Sorry. I fell asleep."

"I noticed," Vincent replied. "I told you I was bad company… bored you to sleep." Estu wondered if it was supposed to be a joke. If so, it was an odd one. He decided to nod again… he'd been giving a lot of nonverbal responses lately. Vincent kept a steady eye on him. It looked as though the man was debating whether or not to say something, but he seemed to decide against it. He simply stomped out the remains of the embers and walked back to the airship.

* * *

><p>Vincent boarded the ship, followed by a rather reluctant Estu. He wasn't sure yet, though he thought he knew why the boy looked so familiar… Well, a theory at least. He'd keep an eye on him for the time being, but he didn't seem like much of a threat. No more of a threat than Vincent, at any rate. As they entered, Tifa greeted him with another smile.<p>

"Morning Vincent!"

"Morning Tifa," he replied quietly. Everything seemed a bit loud after the night spent in relative silence. Tifa turned to the boy behind him.

"Morning Estu."

"Morning…" he said drowsily, avoiding her eyes. "Um… Do you know where Denzel is?"

"Control room, I think," Tifa replied. "Tell him there's fruit for breakfast if he wants any… actually tell him I said he needs to eat some, get his vitamins."

"Oh… sure, um… ma'am?" he said a bit uncertainly.

"You don't have to call me ma'am. Just Tifa is fine." The boy nodded and started walking to the control room. Tifa turned to Vincent when he was gone. "He woke up in the middle of the night, screaming."

"I know. I heard him."

"Think it's anything to worry about?" she asked.

Vincent shook his head. "He'll be fine. Besides, there isn't much anyone can do for bad dreams. They'll either go away, or not. He doesn't seem like the sort of person who'd want to talk about them, anyway."

"Well, you are the expert." She moved a strand of away from her eyes. "So, we're flying again all day."

"Fun."

"Yeah… " she sighed. "At least we'll probably get to Cosmo Canyon by tonight… Cid says it's going to rain though. He said he can feel it in his bones or something."

"I believe that's just Cid-speak for 'heard it on the radio.'" Tifa laughed a bit. "I suppose if it does rain, we can humor him… Is he angry at me still?" Vincent asked.

"Hm… I don't think so, but it's gotten hard to tell. I think he just thinks you're being an idiot… at least that was what he was calling you after dinner – 'that idiot'… though I'm pretty sure he'll have gotten over it by now."

"That's… good, I suppose. And Yuffie?"

"What about her?" Tifa asked.

"She's not… never mind. It doesn't really matter." Tifa shot him a questioning look, but she knew that when Vincent didn't want to talk about something, he _really_ didn't want to talk. Vincent leaned back a bit against a wall. "Rain… I think that will be good. It's been a while since it rained."

"Vince, are you talking about the weather?" she asked.

"I suppose so…" He paused looking off into the distance. "We get to Cosmo Canyon tonight." Tifa nodded. "…I… never mind. I'll see you later, Tifa." He stood and walked away, searching for a quiet corner of the airship.

* * *

><p>It was a quiet day, it seemed. The soft taps of tiny raindrops provided a cover of white noise, while the Members of AVALANCHE went about their own business. Estu wasn't quite sure what was going on between them, but it seemed to revolve around Vincent's approaching departure. He wondered what it was about, of course, but didn't quite feel that it was his place to ask anyone on board.<p>

He had apologized to Denzel, who had been quite understanding. Apparently he was just startled before, and now looked at Estu with a bit of concern and pity. That bothered him much more than the dream. He knew from experience that concern would lead to questions he didn't feel like answering. Still though, the mood on board the ship seemed to keep him silent. Even Marlene was quieter than normal, making to odd comment every now and them, but for the most part, nothing. Cid focused on flight – there would be no radio for him today. Yuffie was nowhere to be seen. _Stupid rain. _At least he had time to think about a few good dodging moves to practice with Marlene, though he hoped the ground wouldn't be too wet to put them to use.

Estu walked his rounds for what seemed like hours, occasionally interrupted by Marlene or Tifa. They would be warm, say hello… Estu wondered how much of their smile was genuine. Only once did he come across Vincent, they followed each other's lead and passed by, mutually silent, both avoiding eyes.

The tapping of the rain, the silence of the crew- it had a dulling affect. Estu felt asleep, dead, something… nothing.

It was only when the ship shook that his heart seemed to beat again. After the first moment of panic, he ran to the control room where Cid struggled to keep the craft steady. "Denzel, hold that lever! Not that #$%^ing one, the other one!"

"Sorry!"

Winds raged against the small airship, rain poured down making it difficult to see anything. The tiny little shower had become a full blown storm. Estu felt his heart racing as there was another shift in the aircraft. Panicking, he felt his breathing become almost as fast as his heart. _I shouldn't have gotten on here! No… calm down… calm down… _It wasn't working… he felt dizzy. He struggled to keep his balance as the airship rocked around, at the mercy of the wind. All he could think of was the black haired man and the airplane, falling, falling. Then nothing… dizzy, the world was spinning, or was he crashing? He couldn't tell, just saw strange shapes and colors swimming before his eyes and felt his body hit the ground.

* * *

><p>Vincent ran into the control room, only to see Cid and Denzel struggling to land the airship safely, while Marlene stood over an unconscious Estu. She looked a bit pale and scared as well, and when she saw him, she ran over. Vincent reached for her hand, holding tightly. "Come on, we'll sit while they work on this," he said, trying to comfort her.<p>

"Estu won't wake up!" she said, worriedly. Vincent rolled his eyes and gave the boy a swift kick in the ribs.

"Ow! What the-?" He looked around, reeling slightly as the airship shook again.

"This storm is #$%^ing insane!" Cid shouted. Tifa who had entered the room as well seemed to decide not to reproach Cid's language for once. Marlene saw her, but seemed afraid to move. She simply buried her face into the crook of Vincent's arm. They sat down, and he held on to her, told her it was just a little rainstorm, whispered reassuring words that meant little, but seemed to help. To his surprise, she actually fell asleep before Cid and Denzel finally landed the ship.

The two of them each gave a sigh of relief, and Denzel slid down, apparently tired. Cid looked around the room, as though counting everyone on board. When he realized who was missing, he made his way out of the room. "I'm gonna check on Yuffie… probably getting sick somewhere. And I'm sure as hell not helping her clean up." Tifa looked up at him and stood.

"I'll just go with you, then. Make sure she's okay."

They both exited leaving only Vincent and the three kids. Denzel put his goggles back on, looking out a window, then decided that he too would go look for Yuffie. Meanwhile Marlene shockingly stayed asleep. Estu, eyes still a bit wide from panic looked at her, then Vincent, before glancing back down.

"Are you her father?" he suddenly asked. Vincent looked up from the sleeping child in confusion.

"Are you speaking to me?"

"Well… yes. You're the only other person in here," the boy pointed out. Vincent realized that it was a bit of a stupid question.

"No. I'm not. Why do you ask?" He and Marlene looked nothing alike, after all. The only similarity was the darkness of their hair, though Vincent thought even that was a stretch. Estu stared downward, trying to think of how to say.

"She mentioned being adopted… and said her dad was in AVALANCHE. And she thinks quite highly of you. I was just wondering…"

Vincent sighed, thoughts turning again to Marlene's real dad. "…Her father… he died a while ago… Surely you heard of him, Barret Wallace?" Though it was painful to talk about, it was probably better to explain now then have the boy ask about it himself. If he asked Marlene… no, that would be bad. Still, Estu looked angry with himself.

"Oh… I… I didn't…" he fumbled with his words a bit. "That bombing in Edge?"

"Yes," Vincent replied. That was all he'd say on the subject.

"I see now. I'm sorry I brought it up."

They sat in awkward silence for a few moments. Vincent slowly tried to set Marlene so she'd be able to sleep without leaning on him, but every time he moved her, she would scoot closer. He eventually gave up. Estu crossed his arms, his expression unreadable. He eventually looked up, very briefly, at the two. "She… she's a good kid. Very…never mind."

"No, go on," Vincent said, curious about what he had to say. Estu sighed before continuing.

"She's very brave… underneath it all. She's got a lot of determination."

"So, how went the battle lesson?"

Estu looked up, a bit shocked. "How-?"

"I have good ears," Vincent said.

"I… I'm sorry, she asked me to. Provided a very compelling argument." His eyebrows knitted together slightly. "I think she's a bit afraid of not having someone there to protect her."

"I see…" Vincent said. The others reentered the control room, Yuffie looking a bit green around the gills.

"We're gonna have to wait out the storm… um… Radio, anyone?" Cid asked. He turned it on, finding a station everyone could agree on was difficult, but he managed. The sound of music was almost drowned out by the fearsome downpour. "We… aren't gonna make it to Cosmo Canyon tonight," Cid said, frowning.

"Where are we, anyway?" Yuffie asked, apparently over her motion sickness episode.

"Bit past Gongaga… Actually, not far from it at all." He slumped down. "This kind of sucks."

* * *

><p>Indeed it did. At least they were on the ground now though. Estu still couldn't believe he'd passed out. At least it seemed like Vincent and Marlene were the only ones not too preoccupied to notice, but he felt like such a coward… The music didn't do much to mask the loud booms of thunder and horrible gales of wind. Estu actually saw lightning strike a tree, perhaps only thirty yards from the airship. The thunder from it was more than loud enough to wake Marlene. She bolted up, bumping her head on Vincent's chin. "Ow…sorry," she said, looking up.<p>

"It's alright… how did you manage to sleep through all that?" Vincent asked, lips slightly upturned.

"I guess I'm just a heavy sleeper."

"Yeah, well she's still not as bad as you, Vinnie. You'd snooze through the end of the world if it wasn't for us," Yuffie teased. Cid and Tifa both laughed a bit. Estu looked at them quizzically. _ I don't get it. _They all stopped as the radio's music suddenly went silent, and then was replaced by a heavily distorted voice.

"_This is Zö__ld, voice of the free people of Junon. Deepground troops still search for both AVALANCHE and the thief of a set of files supposedly containing information for everything from Doctor Weiss himself to Project S and later subset projects. Commander Argento describes said thief as 'Some stupid little shit wearing a lame-ass beanie hat.' Our new military leader, ladies and gentlemen!"_

The entire group turned to Estu, who sank as low as he could and covered his eyes with his hat.

"_So, besides being an all around D-bag, it looks like Weiss has been experimenting with corpses that I seriously doubt he obtained through any sort of legitimate means. I haven't seen the things personally, but one Deepground soldier described them as, and I quote, 'Freaking terrifying. They look like if you put steroids on steroids then gave those to a zombie.' These horrible things have been sighted (ahem) 'keeping the peace' during small local riots both here and in Edge and have earned the nickname 'Behemoths' from those who survived, though I personally like 'Steroid-on-Steroid-Zombies' better…"_

"We saw those awful things in Costa del Sol, remember?" Denzel said. Vincent and Cid both nodded grimly.

"_Aside from that, not much going on at Deepground HQ from what I can hear… though there are a few mentions of 'Project Stratus'... whatever that is, I've got nothing. So, how bout we just assume it's Zul's new line of cell phones, complete with little chips that will control your mind… possible cause of seizures, though. You'd think something like that would get ironed out in beta testing. Anyway, stay safe and spread the word. Zöld out."_

"That was frickin' weird," Yuffie said.

"Heard the same guy on the radio yesterday. Somehow he knows stuff going on inside Deepground," Cid said. He turned to Estu a bit suspiciously. "So, a thief, huh?"

"I… I got those files legitimately… mostly… They have no right calling me a thief!" he said.

"Calm down, Beanie-Boy, it's not like we're going to throw you out," Yuffie said with a mischievous grin.

"Would you stop calling me that?"

Marlene giggled. "Beanie-Boy."

Estu gave her a sharp glare. _You too, Marlene? _ The feeling of everyone's eyes on him made Estu nervous. He moved his gaze around, trying to find a spot to look where he couldn't see them. He cursed himself for his well practiced peripheral vision. Even if he couldn't see them, he could feel their accusing stares. _Stop… Stop_… "Could everyone please stop looking at me like that?" he finally asked. "I didn't do anything, I swear." Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Cid cross his arms.

"In case you haven't noticed, we're fugitives of Deepground, too, kid." Cid watched with a mostly blank expression. "Anyway, even if you did steal 'em, an enemy of the enemy is a friend, right? We're all on the same side."

"Well, do you think we could have a look at the files?" Tifa asked. "They might be able to help us."

"You couldn't read them… they're encrypted," Estu explained.

"Man, Beanie-Boy, you really don't know how to be a thief, do you? You're at least supposed to steal something good."

"I … I'm not a thief, and _stop calling me that_."

"Estu, she's just joking, don't be overly sensitive," Marlene said.

"_You're_ overly sensit… shoot." He sighed. "Sorry. Haha. It was hilarious, Yuffie." _Now can we please move on? And stop looking at me? _Thankfully, the music came back on, an odd out of tune singer that no one, including Estu, enjoyed. Vincent stood to change the station and the others found new topics to discuss.

"Project Stratus… Sounds spooky."

"All I wanna know is how this guy gets his info. Nice to have someone on our side, huh?"

"Did you see any of those Behemoths Marlene? They're twenty feet tall, at least. I beat up, like, five of 'em."

"You did not, Denzel!"

Eyes off him, Estu relaxed a bit_. It's fine… don't be paranoid. So what if they know what I did now? Like Cid said, they're fugitives of Deepground too… are we on the same side, though? They want to destroy Deepground, but… if I'm to find out who I am and what my connection to Weiss is, they can't get there before me._ Estu looked at all of them, laughing, fighting… they were a family, closer than he could be to anyone. _They_ were all on the same side, but him? He was alone. Utterly alone.

* * *

><p>Vincent searched for a new station while everyone else spoke of Zöld's mysterious broadcast. He wondered who exactly Zöld was, though, as Cid pointed out, it was good that they had someone on their side. The rain didn't look like it would let up anytime soon. It pounded against the windows in sheets, so he could barely see outside. From what he could see, it was very green. Definitely Gongaga. Just as he found another good station, lightning struck very near them, almost blinding him. The sound of the thunder startled everyone, and left a horrible ringing in Vincent's ears.<p>

"The hell?" Cid asked, startled. He listened a moment then yelled again. "Shit! Struck the #$%^ing airship!" He ran outside, putting goggles over his eyes. Vincent toyed with the radio again, but it seemed as though the lightning had killed it. Such a pity, it was starting to seem so familiar to him. He looked out the window to see an already drenched Cid yelling what was probably quite profane language at the sky.

"He looks upset… I'll go see what's wrong," Vincent said, moving towards the door.

"I wanna see!" Denzel said, following suit and putting goggles over his own eyes.

"Denzel wait!" Marlene said. "C'mon Estu let's go!" She grabbed the boy by the arm again and he grudgingly followed.

Outside the ship, Cid stared at one of the airship's components. Vincent wasn't quite sure what the terminology was, but it appeared to connect one of the fins to the control apparatus. "No! C'mon! #$%^ you, storm! #$%^ you!"

"I don't think that's going to fix the… whatever that was," Vincent noted, looking up. The rain was just starting to lighten up.

"It was a starboard suspension joint!" Cid complained.

"…Yes… it _was_."

"#$%^ you too, Valentine! Without that we're screwed. Got it? Screwed." Cid stared at the smoldering part, not quite believing his eyes.

"So, now what?" Denzel asked.

"Now, you get your ass back on the ship… Dammit, I'm going to have to get another joint, then find the tools on board, then fix it… Crap, the joint above it's bent too. I'll have to fix that before I can even do anything….we're _really_ not getting' to Cosmo Canyon tonight."

"Gongaga is just a few minutes away, correct? I could go get the… whatever if you need, so you can make other repairs, if that would save time," Vincent suggested.

"Could you? Thanks, that'd be great. Starboard suspension joint… can ya remember that?"

"I think I'll manage," Vincent said. "How much would one of those cost, exactly?"

Cid shrugged, "They're actually pretty cheap… Five hundred, maybe?"

"Really? That's it? Well, then… Marlene, could you go on board and ask Tifa for a bit of money?"

Marlene nodded, "Sure thing!" She quickly ran on board. Estu made a move to follow, but was stopped by Vincent.

"The jungle's pretty thick out here. Do we have a machete?" Vincent asked Cid.

"Naw, don't think so…"

"Hm…" Vincent said, "In that case, Estu, I'm going to need your sword."

"What? Why mine? Find your own sword," he said, gripping the hilt tightly.

"You're the only one on here who uses one, and I'll need it to clear the brush."

"Well too bad. I don't want you losing this." Vincent rolled his eyes and gave the boy a sharp glare. It seemed to make him uncomfortable, but he still held on tightly to the blade. "You can't have it…"

"Very well then. In that case, you'll have to go with me and clear the brush yourself." He expected Estu to simply hand the sword over at that point, but instead, he slowly nodded.

"Fine. Let's go."

Five minutes later, Vincent walked behind Estu as he cut through low-lying shrubs and vines with the sword. He could see how the boy was able to fight Deepground troops – he had very good form, and though he probably wasn't that strong, he used the light short sword to his advantage. His finesse with a sword worried Vincent a bit… yes he thought he knew exactly why Estu brought about feelings of unease and déjà vu. After trekking through the jungle for some time, Estu lowered the blade.

"Tired already?" Vincent asked.

"This isn't what my weapon is made for…" he replied, checking the blade for damage. "I'll have to get it resharpened… stupid plants."

"I probably would have arrived in Gongaga if you would have let me borrow it," Vincent said.

Estu looked down. "I can't. This is my only weapon aside from that little pocket knife. If you lost it, I'd be defenseless." It was a logical argument, though Vincent suspected it wasn't the true reason.

"Well, we should get you a new one in Cosmo Canyon. I'm sure they have more powerful machetes than yours."

"It's not a machete, it's a wakizashi! And I _don't_ want a new one, thanks." He continued to slice through the surrounding vegetation, with a bit of anger behind his swings now.

"The sword has sentimental value, then?" Vincent asked.

"No… that would be stupid," Estu replied, untangling his foot from a vine he'd missed.

"It's a very simple weapon and not that powerful on its own," Vincent pointed out. "Someone who is a good fighter would trade it in for a better one unless they couldn't afford it, which isn't the case, or it means something personal to them, which I believe _is_ the case." Estu ignored him and continued hacking through the forest. Town was finally in sight, just a few good swings away. Vincent put a hand on Estu's shoulder, stopping him. Estu quickly shrugged him off.

"Don't do that… and what do you want?"

"Wanted posters."

Estu looked up, squinting his eyes. He could just barely make out a series of photos on the walls of a nearby building. "We on there?" he asked. He couldn't see them well enough to tell, but Vincent nodded his head. "Crap…"

"Yes," Vincent replied. "They have an old photo of me… hm…" He thought for a moment then turned to Estu. "Trade hats with me for now."

"What?"

Vincent repeated, "Trade hats for now. I'll wear the beanie, you wear the bandana. Sound fair?"

"No! I mean… no one's not going to recognize us because we're wearing different hats. That's ridiculous. They aren't that stupid."

"You'd be surprised. Just give me the hat, I already know who you are." Estu's expression went from indignation to panic, before he quickly settled back on a blank poker face.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said, turning a bit. Vincent sighed and picked up the hat by his claw. Estu grabbed it, holding on the same way he did with his sword. "Don't! I'm bald. I… um, have a scar. My hair's green, it's really embarrassing! Um… I have a bad haircut!"

"Let go, Estu. Half of those excuses contradicted each other." Estu held on, but Vincent pulled the hat out of his grip. Just as he'd expected, the boy's hair was silvery-grey. "…Guess I was right."

"H- how'd you know?" Estu asked, looking very nervous and uncomfortable. He hunched his shoulders up, and looked down even lower, as though to shield himself.

"You look just like him… Even with the hat, you're features, your eyes… Just like him," Vincent said.

"Just like… who?" Estu asked. To Vincent's surprise, his confusion was genuine. _Did he really not realize…?_ "What are you talking about? And can I have my hat back, please? I feel really weird without it."

"You're hair is silver," Vincent said bluntly.

"It's… it's just prematurely grey… that's all. Can I have my hat back now? Please?"_ Does he actually believe that? That's … strange._ It wasn't the sort of reaction Vincent expected at all. There was no doubt, the boy looked just like Sephiroth, but didn't seem to realize it. _Stupid kid… perhaps he's in denial? _Vincent supposed that either way, it didn't matter.

"Here," he said, handing over his bandana. "Tie it so it'll hide your hair. We really don't need that sort of … reaction from folks here." Vincent slipped on the beanie while Estu unfolded the bandana, trying to find a good way to wear it.

"Are you… you aren't scared of me, right?"Estu asked, looking a bit worried.

"Not in the slightest, so don't get any ideas."

"What ideas?" Again, his confusion was genuine. When Vincent gave no answer, he looked down steadily. "…Marlene was scared of me for a little while, but… So you really aren't?" he asked.

Vincent sighed. _No more scared of you than I am of myself_, he thought bitterly. "One can't help the state of their own existence. Not you… not me… Don't get me wrong, I'm watching you _very_ closely, but I think in this case, it's best to give the benefit of doubt."

"I… I don't really know what you mean, but …thank you," Estu said. He looked up, briefly making eye contact. Vincent saw that his pupils were slightly slitted, like a cat's or a snake's. It wasn't prominent enough to see at a glance, but noticeable upon close inspection. "So, out of curiosity," Estu began, fixing the bandana, "how much do I look like a pirate?"

"Quite a bit like one," Vincent said. "Do I look like a hobo?" Estu laughed.

"Yeah, a little."

"Perfect disguises. Let's go." So the pirate and hobo walked through the last few vines, towards the Gongaga motor parts store.

* * *

><p><em>So the man in black knows<em>… Estu wasn't sure whether to worry or not. Still though, he was being a bit cryptic… Estu kept his eyes down, feeling out of place in the bandana. He decided then that he hated bandanas. But he followed Vincent as he walked down a dirt road, only pausing slightly as Vincent stopped at a bar. "Is that…? We're making a quick detour, hold on." Without another word, Vincent walked into the bar.

Estu ran in after him. It was quite empty with only two people sitting at the bar – one a bald, tan man, and the other a redhead. Vincent approached them, clearing his throat. Both men looked up. Estu recognized Rude from before, but the redhead was a stranger. He spoke, looking annoyed, "Valentine."

"Reno," Vincent replied. "So this is where you flew off to?"

"Damn straight. Care for a drink, jackass?" _This guy's got a mouth rivaling Cid's… though that may be because he's drunk._ Estu wondered what exactly this Reno fellow had against Vincent. "Isn't it weird, we always seem to find our enemies in these shitty bars. Like the good ol' days, eh, Rude?"

"…Sure…Good old days…"

"Yeah… so what brings you to this hick town, Valentine?"

"I'm just getting a part for the airship…"

"Yeah yeah, whoop di #$%^ing do…" he said. "Hey… who's the kid?"

Rude told him, quietly, "Estu…"

"Bless you," Reno replied. Estu felt his face grow warm. _My name's normal_…_ And it doesn't sound like a sneeze! _"Just get out of my face, Vamps, I'm not goin' back."

"I wasn't going to ask you to," Vincent replied coldly.

"Well good, 'cause me an' Rude don't give a flying #$%^ about you or your little 'save the world' mission."

"Reno," Rude said quietly.

"What?"

"…Nothing."

Vincent turned back, "Let's go. Don't worry about these two." Estu nodded, quickly exiting the bar.

After a few quick negotiations, Vincent managed to get the part for the airship with the money they had. He carried it through the forest. It was heavy, but he assured Estu that he could manage. After switching hats again, Estu led the way back. Without the weeds and shrubs, it was a much easier path than earlier. "So, who was that guy?" Estu finally asked. Vincent's eyebrows knitted together for a moment before he replied.

"Reno… he used to be an enemy of ours, then a friend… I suppose he's just indifferent now." Estu nodded, unsure of what to say to that. "He… sort of hates me at the moment," Vincent continued. "I said a few things that were probably unwise… I apologize if he came off as an asshole."

"It's okay," Estu said. It was odd, Vincent didn't seem like he would curse very much. Though in this case, it was probably well deserved. They walked in silence as they got back to the airship. The rain had stopped and they saw that Yuffie was tending to a very weak fire while Cid worked on the airship. Cid looked up, wiping his forehead and smudging it with grease.

"Good, you're back. Got the part?" Vincent held it out to him, and Cid grinned. "Great, maybe I'll be able to fix it before dinner.

* * *

><p>Dinner passed in much the same way as it had the previous night. Vincent mentioned seeing Reno and Rude, which seemed to catch everyone's interest, though they were disappointed when he told them that Reno wouldn't be rejoining, at least for the time being. Cid bragged about his mechanical prowess while Yuffie mocked him behind his back, making overblown gestures and faces. "What are you smiling bout, Vince?"<p>

"Oh, nothing. So, what were you saying about the starboard…?" Cid grinned and continued, and Yuffie went right back to mimicking him. The poor pilot had no idea that she was why everyone watched, trying to repress laughter.

It was a good night… And it was only when they all boarded the ship that Vincent realized he just couldn't do it. Dangerous or not, he couldn't leave them. He reasoned that he was still a pretty valuable asset, and him being there would keep the group's sense of unity. But most of all, he just couldn't part with the tiny group of people he'd come to know and love. Perhaps two years ago, or even a few months ago he could have… but not anymore. For better or worse, he'd stay. And he felt pretty good about the decision until he heard a familiar sinister growl in the back of his mind. **You're forgetting one thing, Valentine. I'll still be here, too.**

* * *

><p>"Estu!"<p>

"Mmph?" he asked drowsily. Marlene stood over him, already dressed for their lesson.

"Are you awake?" she asked. He nodded and stood, stretching a bit. "C'mon. Denzel's asleep, let's go."

They walked outside, nodding to Vincent on their way to find a semi-dry spot. Estu had already explained to Marlene that Vincent knew about their lessons. They decided to take the fact that he wasn't intervening as a seal of approval. Vincent looked up from the dog-eared book as they passed.

"Still working on fighting?" he asked. Marlene nodded. Vincent turned to Estu, looking at him warily. "Just so you know, if you hurt her I won't hesitate to shoot you," he said seriously.

"I'll be careful then," Estu replied.

"Uncle Vincent, would you stop scaring him?" Marlene asked.

"I'm not scared of him! I'm not scared of anything!"

"Denzel told me you're scared of heights," she said.

"I am not!"

"You fainted," she pointed out.

"I… I had … low blood sugar… something. Can we just get started? We don't have all night," Estu said. Marlene nodded, and they got right to practicing. Attacking, blocking, and dodging – all with surprising skill. Perhaps she had hope, yet. They worked on her fighting for quite a while, and it was actually even a bit fun.

Maybe no one was exactly on the same side as him, but Marlene at least could almost be considered a friend, in an odd way. Vincent, too, though Estu knew that the man in black was watching, almost waiting for him to slip up, for whatever reason. Estu knew that those two people probably knew more about him than anyone else alive, except his older sister. That scared him a bit… but… Who knows, perhaps it was a good thing. Only time would tell.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So I had three different scenarios for Vincent and Estu's introduction, but couldn't decide, so I ended up using all of them and just tweaking each one a bit. I think I liked it better that way though. If the 'hobo' thing confused anyone, I just pictured Vincent with a beanie hat and couldn't help but be reminded of Chester A. Bum. I would've gotten done with this earlier, but had to take a break to go watch The Legend of Korra. I just love that show, but some of Nick's commercials are annoying, and if I hear the words 'circus afro' one more time I will murder a zebra. Not joking. Okay, maybe a little... but seriously, it's driving me crazy.**


	19. Chapter 19

The night went by without incident. Vincent finished his book sometime around midnight, judging by the moon, and boredly poked at the fire. He felt a bit lonely, being the only one still up. _Happy Birthday to me… _The thirteenth of October. Vincent couldn't help but think that if everything was normal, his friends would spend the day coming up with some crazy scheme to lure him in so he could have a party of sorts. A small party. Not many people would want to go, but there was always Cloud, Tifa, Marlene, Denzel, and Reeve. The others lived pretty far away and couldn't always make it. But that was fine with Vincent, since he felt as though he were cheating a bit by not actually getting older. Tifa made the executive decision to leave twenty-seven candles on the cake, year after year. She said that otherwise, it would probably catch fire, though admittedly, that would be fun to watch.

He missed those days…

He got back on the ship when morning came. It appeared that no one else was awake yet, so he quietly walked back to the control room. He was actually a bit shocked that no one was in there. No one with balloons or streamers or a gigantic cake. No surprises. So he sat in one of the swivel chairs, spinning absentmindedly. _Well, what did you expect, a party? At a time like this? _Still, he just wished they would hurry and wake up; it was only…5 o' clock… maybe that was why.

After half an hour of sitting and doing nothing, Cid finally woke up. He walked, half asleep into the control room. "Good morning ,Cid," Vincent said. Cid looked back, giving him what Vincent guessed was a glare, though it was hard to tell when his eyes were almost shut.

"What's so good bout it?" Cid asked, starting up the airship.

"Nothing I guess…" _Well I never did like birthdays anyway._ "How long until we reach Cosmo Canyon?"

"I don't know… Four, five hours? Got up early so we can get there-" he yawned, "B'fore noon."

"I see… Well… I decided not to leave," Vincent said, trying to make conversation for once.

"That's good," Cid said distractedly.

"I guess it was a bit of an epiphany," Vincent continued as the aircraft rose off the ground.

"Uh-huh…"

"I heard Chaos again, though."

"Right."

"I finished my book," he said.

"Cool…" Cid replied.

"The… butler did it," he continued.

"That's great…"

"…Today's my birthday."

"Yeah… wait…" Cid looked back. "Aw, sorry, Vince! Happy Birthday… I didn't get you nothin'."

"That's fine. I didn't really expect… I mean, no one had a chance to get me anything. I didn't expect any presents."

"Well, shit, when you say it like that I feel like more of an ass," Cid said, scratching his head.

Vincent shook his head. "No, really. It's fine. We are kind of in the middle of a war of sorts. Besides, there isn't anything in particular that I want," he said. "So… um…hm…" _I'm so bad at this… _"How is your… day going?" Cid looked back again in confusion.

"Vince, are you alright?"he asked. Vincent nodded. "You don't usually chat… shit, you've gone all senile on us, haven't you?"

"Not before you."

"I'm not that #$%^ing old! #$%^, what is it with you people?"

* * *

><p>Estu sat up when he felt the airship begin to move. Take off was definitely the worst part of the flight. It made his ears pop and the feeling of the ship rising into the air always made him anxious, even though he knew that Cid was an excellent pilot. Then again, he was pretty sure he'd heard Cid himself call the aircraft an old piece of junk, which didn't inspire much confidence. But after today, they'd get to Cosmo Canyon, then he'd only have to fly twice more to reach Nibelheim. Three more days of flying, then he could safely say he'd stay on the ground for the rest of his life… hopefully. Either way, it seemed like he was a bit closer to figuring everything out each day. And if Nibelheim held no answers… well he'd figure it out… hopefully.<p>

He forced himself to look out the window, just to get a sense of the time. It was very early, that much was evident. Marlene and Denzel were both still fast asleep. Estu wished he could sleep as soundly on the aircraft. Then again, he almost never slept soundly, and was just glad that he hadn't dreamt the night before.

Since he assumed most of the crew was asleep, he decided to go to the control room for the time being. Cid and Vincent were locked in a conversation, or rather, Cid ranted about people overestimating his age while Vincent listened with a somewhat amused expression. "You know what you're problem is, Vince? You're jealous."

"Am I now?"

"Yeah, 'cause you know that I may have a few wrinkles and a bit of grey in my hair, but that just adds to the Cid appeal. Know why? Because I've actually got a bit of depth. You just some emo pretty boy, and I'm a mature, ruggedly handsome, charming son of a bitch."

"Well, I'll agree with that last one," Vincent said dryly.

"Thank you… wait… oh, #$%^ you Valentine." Cid turned back to flip Vincent a bird and noticed Estu standing at the door. "Mornin' kid. You're up early."

"Yeah… I can't sleep while the ship's moving," Estu said.

"Gotta make good time, kid. Especially after yesterday. Damn storms," Cid said. "I guess Denzel's not awake yet, huh?"

"No."

"Lazy… Well, if you've got nothin' to do, could you start an inventory of our supplies? It'd help Tifa out a lot." Well, Estu supposed he should have been expected to do some work eventually.

"Er… sure, just a list of everything?" Estu asked.

"Pretty much. Vince, tear a page outa that book for him, would ya?"

"What's he going to write with?" Vincent asked, ripping out a mostly blank back page.

"There's a carpenter's pencil in the tool box. Anyway, get to work on that," Cid ordered.

As it turned out, the members of AVALANCHE had a lot of stuff to inventory. Estu spent nearly two hours counting potions, ethers, materia, and many other items that could use restocking, and there was still more to write down. Estu had always traveled light, carried maybe one or two potions and an antidote, but he supposed that they did get in more fights than him, and there were all the people in the group to think of. That sort of thing wasn't something Estu had ever dealt with. He took care of himself, beyond that, he could never be bothered. It made him realize what a lonely life he led.

It was tedious work, but it at least passed the time. Marlene and Denzel woke up shortly before he was done cataloguing everything, and Marlene helped him finish up while Denzel went to the control room. Marlene, as always, was talkative and excitable.

I can't wait 'til we get there! Have you ever been to Cosmo Canyon, Estu?" she asked. Estu shook his head. "Well, it's really pretty. My dad took me a few times, ever since I was really little. Our friend Nanaki lives there too. I think you'll like him. He's pretty nice, and really smart too." _Nanaki… and people make fun of my name. I wonder if he's some sort of professor or something. _"So we get my materia today, right?"

"Yeah. Do you have any money? I really don't want to pay for it all myself," Estu said.

"I have a _little_," she said, holding up an index finger and thumb to demonstrate _how_ little. "Do you think I can borrow some? I'll pay you back eventually, I promise."

"I guess," he sighed. "But we have to get you something with slots too… that might be expensive. Do you have anything you can sell? Maybe that necklace?" She looked down at a pink teardrop pendant and shook her head.

"No… it was a present… it's kind of important to me. My dad…" _Oh, crap…_ Estu held up a hand, stopping her from continuing.

"No, never mind. Um, I'll just figure something out. Does Cosmo Canyon have a very big criminal population?" he asked. Maybe he could pick up a bounty contract. That would land him enough gil for a few materia orbs and some armor. But Marlene shook her head.

"No… I don't think it really has crime at all. It's not really a city, it's kind of… um… I don't know the right word exactly. But the people there are all nice. I don't think there's even a police force. Wait, why did you ask that?"

"No reason."

"Okay…" she said. She wrote down another entry: 3 antidotes, then looked up from the paper. "Hey, did you know it's Vincent's birthday?"

"Why would I know that?" Estu asked.

"I don't know… I wish I could make him a card or something, but I don't have any crayons. Do you like to draw, Estu?"

"No, I'm not very good at it," he said.

"Oh… Do you do anything for fun? You seem so bored all the time."

"I'm usually busier than this."

"Doing what?"

"Um… just, you know. Stuff. Sword practice, writing letters, work…" he said.

"Work? Where do you work?" she asked.

"I just do freelance stuff," Estu said. That was true… technically. He figured her last encounter with those thug bounty hunters probably tainted her perception of his part time job. "So, Vincent's birthday, huh?" he asked, changing the subject.

"Yup. Hey, we should get him something while we're out! I bet we could find a really cool present."

"Yeah, sure. If you actually had some money," he said. Marlene stuck her tongue out again. When they'd finished the inventory list, they brought it to Tifa and went back to the control room.

* * *

><p>"Happy Birthday Vincent!" Marlene said as she walked into the control room.<p>

"Thank you," Vincent replied, smiling a bit. It always amazed him how much of an effect the girl's attitude could have on his.

"Um… I couldn't make you a card this year."

"That's okay. Maybe Red will have something you can draw with," he said.

"Red?" Estu asked.

"It's just Nanaki's nickname," she explained. "Uncle Vincent, you know he doesn't like that name as much. Anyway, I can pronounce 'Nanaki 'right now."

"Right… forgot. I guess I'm just getting old," he said. Estu looked confused.

"You're only… how old are you, anyway?" he asked.

"Twenty-seven."

"You were twenty-seven last year!" Marlene protested. "And the year before that, and the year before that…" Estu looked even more confounded.

"Wait… what?"

"Are we there yet?" Denzel said, looking bored.

"Yeah almost," Cid said. "Vince, why'd you have to break the radio? It's so quiet in here." Vincent rolled his eyes.

"I didn't break it. Lightning struck it."

"Yeah… I guess it wouldn't make sense to kill the only other antique on here," Cid said. Estu looked from the radio to Vincent to Cid, trying to figure out what they meant. "Poor kid's lost, Vince," Cid said laughing. Estu shrugged and crossed his arms.

"I give up. You people are weird," he said.

Vincent was going to comment, but Denzel beat him to it. "Yeah, look who's talkin' Beanie-Boy," he said. Perhaps not the best snark, but the kid seemed to be taking a page from Cid's book. Then again, Vincent had already told Tifa she'd need to watch his language. Though Denzel, without a doubt, had no idea just how weird Estu was… well at least how weird beneath the surface.

"Stop calling me Beanie-Boy. Why did Yuffie have to come up with that anyway? Does she just feel the need to nickname everyone? Can she not just use normal names?" Estu asked.

"You get used to it," Vincent said.

After flying for about another hour, Cosmo Canyon was finally in sight. Cid landed the airship, much easier than he had the previous day. Estu was one of the first to disembark. Vincent wasn't in much of a hurry until he heard a shout outside the airship, and quickly ran off.

Estu was backed against the ship, looking terrified, while Nanaki growled at him. The beast stood in his typical fighting stance, his crimson fur standing on edge. His muzzle wrinkled as he snarled at the boy, nostrils flared. His lips were pulled back, displaying sharp, pointed teeth. Nanaki's tail flicked back and forth, leaving a trail of fire. The pupil of his good eye was constricted, making him look much more intimidating than normal. It actually shocked Vincent a bit. It had been some time since Nanaki looked as menacing or feral as he did now.

"D-down! Bad…dog…lion… thing!" Estu said.

"Dog-lion-thing? Do not insult me, I am the guardian of this canyon," Nanaki said.

"…Did you just talk?"

"Yes I did, spawn of-"

"Nanaki, he's with us," Vincent said. The beast looked up at him, then down at Estu, glaring at the boy with his good eye, before turning back to Vincent questioningly. "Really. I'll explain later," Vincent continued. "Just don't make him think you'll eat him, the kid's neurotic enough already."

"You're neurotic enough already," Estu said, too busy trying to regain his composure to care that his comeback didn't make much sense.

Nanaki padded away from Estu and faced the rest of the group. "Well, I apologize. Hello everyone," he greeted more joviality. "Welcome back. It's nice to see you all after so long."

"Good to see you too, Red," Cid said, getting off the ship. He looked around, smiling. "Looks like there's more folks here now."

"Yes. More and more people want to protect the planet these days. And we did experience a bit of growth when WRO was dissolved. Many of the former members of its military are here," Nanaki said. Cid grinned at the mention of WRO military forces.

"That's great! Do you think we could convince any of 'em to help fight Deepground?" he asked.

"Is that why you're here?"

"Among other things," Cid said. "Anyway there were a few things we needed to ask ya. Can we talk somewhere a bit more private?"

"Of course. Would the planetarium suffice? I can't think of anywhere more private than that."

"That would be perfect. All right, Vince, Tifa, Yuffie, let's go." Cid started to walk towards the tower at the center of the compound.

"What about us?" Marlene asked. Denzel cocked his head slightly, looking annoyed at being excluded. Tifa turned back and shook her head.

"It's safe here; just play around for now, okay?" Tifa said. Marlene nodded and Tifa followed behind Cid, Vincent and Yuffie.

* * *

><p>When they were out of earshot, Denzel turned back to Marlene and Estu. "Forget that," he said. "I'm gonna go follow them."<p>

"Denzel, Tifa said not to," Marlen said.

"Yeah, well I'm pretty much a full fledged AVALANCHE member now. I've been in fights and everything. I should know what's going on. Anyway, I bet Cid will agree, and he's the leader."

"Cid and Tifa are co-leaders, Denzel."

"Whatever. I want to know what's going on, so there," Denzel said.

"Just let him go, Marlene," Estu said. _It'll make getting materia a lot easier if he isn't asking what we're doing. _Marlene was about to protest, but she quickly realized the same thing. She nodded.

"Fine, I'll just go look around, I guess," she said. Denzel grinned and waved back at the two before running off to follow Nanaki and the others.

"You didn't tell me your friend was a monster," Estu said. Marlene looked up at him, a bit annoyed.

"Nanaki isn't a monster. He's just a… a… hm… " She thought about it for a moment. "He's just a Nanaki." _Because that makes sense. _"Anyway, at least I told you a little about him."

"You said 'nice and smart' and he almost bit my head off."

"He's usually really nice!" Marlene said. "And he is smart. And wise. Vincent said he's probably the smartest one in AVALANCHE. I dunno why he didn't like you."

"Animals never seem to," Estu said bitterly. Ami had gotten him a kitten once, as a present. It ran away within two days. When she got him a second one and made sure it was unable to escape, the creature had stopped eating. Estu still had a few scars on his hands from when he'd tried to force feed it with an eyedropper, with mixed success. After a week of hissing, scratching, and growing feebler by the day, Estu decided to let it go. It was a cute creature and would probably be able find a different home. A few months later, when they were moving again, he'd seen it on a neighbor's porch, fat and content. Apparently it was just him that made the cat unhappy.

"Well… sorry," Marlene said. "Nanaki will probably warm up to you eventually." _I doubt it._ "Anyway, can we go get my materia, now?" she asked.

"Yeah, we should go get on that." Marlene led him to the compound's shops. It seemed that in order to get anywhere, Estu would have to climb up ladders, down ladder, across rope bridges… Between his less than warm welcome and the compound's acro-centric means of getting around, Estu started to feel like Cosmo Canyon hated him. They finally reached the area with most of the shops. One of the people there seemed to recognize Marlene.

"Oh, look at you! You've grown so tall, Ms. Wallace." It was a very old woman, the type that seemed likely to pinch cheeks.

"Thank you. Um, do you think we can get a bit of materia?" Marlene asked.

"Did that ninja girl send you to get some? My apprentice already told me the whole gang's here," the woman said.

"Um… Yuffie didn't exactly send me. Also, do you have any crayons? Today's Vincent's birthday and I wanted to make him a card."

"Yes, I have a few. Always keep them around now that my granddaughter's started scribbling. So what sort of materia do you need?" Marlene looked up at Estu, a bit unsure.

"A few simple spells would be good. Do you have fire and ice? Also, maybe heal?" The woman nodded taking out a few orbs. "How much is all this going to be?" Estu asked ,a bit apprehensively.

"600, 600, and 1500… I think I can give you a little discount though. Will 2000 be okay?"

"Yeah," Estu said. He knew he wouldn't get a better deal anywhere else. _There goes most of my money… _"And… I need some sort of armor with slots."

"I've got an old pair of Mythril armlets… 500?"

"Yeah… okay." It was a generous offer, he guessed, but still… Marlene thanked the woman for the materia and set of crayons she'd thrown in for free, while Estu looked at his quickly emptying wallet. "Just so you know, you owe me." Marlene nodded.

"When can we start using magic?" she asked as they climbed back down.

"Don't talk now… this is making me dizzy…" _Stupid ladders. Who designed this place anyway?_

"I think it'll be really great! All the magic and materia and-"

"Marlene, please shut up."

Safely on the ground, Marlene showed him around the lower areas of the compound, telling him about Cosmo Canyon's history. She said people all over the world came to live in peace with the planet, said that it had a special energy of sorts that you could really feel. Estu didn't feel much there, aside from vertigo, but nodded in agreement.

"AVALANCHE was founded here. It used to be really different though… Kinda scary. I think that… well never mind. It's really different from what it used to be. Especially after Meteor." She climbed up on a rock, looking up to an observatory. "I wonder what they're doing up there. Wish I could go." She sat down and started coloring on the back of a poster for Turtle's Paradise. "Do you think things will go back to normal, Estu?"

"I don't really know what normal is for you," he said.

"Well… I guess… It used to be like, I lived with Tifa and Cloud and Denzel when my dad was out of town. And Tifa would run a little bar called Seventh Heaven, and Cloud was a bike messenger. And sometimes they'd help Mr. Reeve with stuff at WRO… and…" she paused looking back at her coloring. "I… don't think it will ever be normal again. …I wish I could go back."

"I do too," Estu said quietly.

"What?"

"Nothing. Why don't we go see if here's somewhere to practice? We can get an early start," he suggested.

"Really? Yay! I'll find a good place, okay?" She ran off, leaving him to follow. Before he went after her, he picked up her drawing. In it, Vincent stood under a 'Happy Birthday' banner, along with all the people on board and a few Estu didn't recognize, though a spiky haired blonde and a large, dark skinned man stood out from the rest.

* * *

><p>In the observatory, the entire group gathered around a table on the ground floor. Denzel had snuck in, and was allowed to stay as long as he kept fairly quiet. Cid let Nanaki examine the materia shard they had found. He looked at it carefully. "So this is the proto-materia. Grandfather mentioned it a few times when I was younger."<p>

"Do you know what it does?" Yuffie asked.

"In a general sense, though I think one of my grandfather's books will help," Nanaki said. "Vincent, could you get the blue one on the top shelf? Also, if you could turn the radio on low, I want to hear today's broadcast from Junon." Vincent picked up the book and turned the radio on. "Sometimes I think having opposable thumbs would be helpful," Nanaki admitted, flicking his tail.

"So you've heard that Zöld guy too?" Tifa asked. Nanaki nodded. Vincent put the book on the table.

"What page?" he asked.

"Hmm, flip to the index for a moment…. Ah, Two-fifty." Vincent turned to the page in question and Nanaki nudged the book forward with his nose. "Now, proto-materia is nearly as old as the planet itself. It was created as a failsafe of sorts, in case of the most dire emergency."

"Like the weapons were made?" Yuffie asked.

"A bit," Nanaki said, "but in the weapons' case, they were made to combat a very specific threat, whereas this was made in the event that the planet had no hope for survival. It allows… Vincent, flip the page please." Vincent turned it, examining an illustration of two humanoid figures, one dark and one light. "It allows whoever uses it to harness the powers of Omega… and Chaos." Vincent looked up from the illustration in surprise.

"By that, you mean…"

"Yes. The same entity that is sealed inside you," Nanaki said. "Chaos and Omega were created in the event that all the planet's life would have to move somewhere else. Chaos, the destroyer, well… destroys, kills, you get the concept. And when all life is wiped out, Omega gathers it all up and takes it somewhere else, where life can begin anew." He paused, looking around at everyone. "So, Deepground wants this materia. But the real question is why? What use could they have for it?"

"D'you think they just figure it's powerful like the Black materia?" Cid asked.

"No," Nanaki said,"This materia is legendary, but not for being a powerful weapon… Though whatever they do want it for can't be good… Did any of this help?"

"A bit… Can I see that book?"

Cid examined it, flipping through the pages. Nanaki told Vincent to pull a few more books down from the shelves. Vincent planned on looking through them that night, when everyone else was asleep. With the rest of the group occupied for the moment, Vincent turned towards Nanaki, gesturing at the door. "I need to check on a few things on the compound. Will you all be fine, staying here?" Nanaki asked. Cid nodded, flipping another page.

Vincent and Nanaki walked outside the building. Vincent eyed the trap door warily, then moved over to the Cliffside overlooking Cosmo Canyon. "Did you want to explain why that… that… that '_kid_' ,as you called him, is with you?"

"You sensed it, then?" Vincent asked.

"I know the smell, Vincent. I spent far too long around it when Hojo captured me. So what is… _he_… doing with you?"

"It's sort of complicated, but he saved Marlene's life and Cid offered to take him to Nibelheim."

"He… saved her life? Why? Is he not one of those Remnants we dealt with?" Nanaki asked.

"I don't know. He doesn't seem to realize who he is. Or even that there's a connection between him and Sephiroth."

"Does anyone else know?"

Vincent shook his head. "Just me and Marlene… what do you think I should do? This is really strange, but… he doesn't seem to want to harm us or anyone else… it's odd."

"That is strange," Nanaki said. "If you don't think he's dangerous… well I don't know. This is definitely a new situation for us. Do you think I should apologize to him for earlier?"

Vincent shrugged. "I don't think he'll care too much either way. You did give him a scare, though."

"Hmm…" Nanaki said. "I'll keep my distance for now. That's probably best." Denzel ran out of the building looking at them.

"Hey, the music just shut off. I think the broadcast is starting." Nanaki and Vincent nodded and walked inside. The same distorted voice as before was speaking, much more excitedly than before.

"_This is Zöld, voice of the free people of Junon, and have I got a story today! So after hearing a bit about the whole 'Project Stratus' nonsense, I did a bit of digging, and it turns out, I was right…sort of. The Stratus helmets are mind control devices, of sorts, in an attempt to create cannon fodder for Deepground. So rioters, if your family went missing, you may need to think twice about shooting now…"_

"Holy shit…mind control helmets?" Cid asked.

"_Closely related to this is an old prototype machine that… I (ahem) overheard a few key members of Deepground discussing. LFT units, their called. I have no clue what they do, but…_" the voice grew a bit more serious,_ "a few prisoners of war- riot leaders, politicians… et cetera - have gone in… and when they come out… Well, it isn't something you'd want. Turns them into frickin' vegetables. Scary stuff. I think, (now this is just a theory) but I think a few of the lower down Stratus soldiers may have been through these as well. I'll have to keep a watch on these, so I'll report back in with developments."_

"_In other news, it looks like Mr. Weiss is planning on traveling back to Edge. Sorry Edgeians… though he's probably a lot better to be in charge than Rosso the Crimson. Heard she's a real bitch. Meanwhile, Commander Argento will keep here in Junon… joy. At least I'll still have someone to make fun of, eh? Speaking of that, I've been trying to settle on the daily quote, and I think I've got a gem. Argento's now looking for me… good luck if you're listening, by the way. And when asked for my description, he said, and I quote, 'He's the guy with a weird voice! Just listen for him.' Never heard of voice scrambling software, huh, Argie? Our new military leader, ladies and gentlemen! Anyway, stay safe and spread the word. Zöld out!"_

"He's gotten more confident," Nanaki said.

"Yeah… so what'll we do about the Stratus helmets?" Tifa asked.

"We'll just have to fight them like normal, I guess," Cid said. "It'll be tough, knowin' they didn't choose to fight, but… well we have to do what has to be done. That's always been the case with us."

* * *

><p>Estu had to duck as Marlene fired a large ball of ice at him. He hadn't believed her at first, but as it turned out, she really had an aptitude for magic. Her attacks were much stronger than what he could do, but her control of it, on the other hand… "Watch it!" he said as she adjusted one of the Mythril armlets.<p>

"Sorry… I um… how do you do the fire thing again?" she asked.

"Just focus on that spell and do the same thing as before. Not too much magic!" He ducked again, as a fireball just missed him. "Marlene!"

"Sorry! …I'm not very good at this, am I?" Estu shook his head emphatically.

"No…" he said. "You're actually kind of amazing. I've never seen this sort of raw talent. Just… um… take off the weapon armlet and we'll practice white magic for now, okay?" She nodded and shook the armband off. "So… how to do this? The one you've got equipped is heal. It'll only cure poison for now, though. I've got a bio materia, so I'll find something to poison, then you heal it, and we repeat."

"You're going to poison something?" she asked, looking upset.

"Yeah… let's see…" he spied a small tortoise crawling along and went to pick it up. It hissed at him and tried clawing, but didn't end up doing anything with its slow movement and short legs. Frustrated, it hissed again. "I didn't know turtles made noises…" Estu said, looking at it.

"It's not a turtle, it's a tortoise, and please don't hurt it!"

"What's the difference?"

"It never did anything to you! It would be mean to poison it!" she said.

"No… what's the difference between a turtle and tortoise?" Estu asked. "Is it turtles live in deserts… no… You said this was a tortoise, so the other way around. But what if-"

"Estu! You're missing the point."

"I am?"

"Don't hurt the tortoise," she said. He ignored her and taped its shell with his sword, casting poison. "No! Why'd you do that? I said not to poison it! You know, this is probably why animals hate you."

"Because I make a habit of poisoning turtles?"

"It's a tortoise... wait, do you?" she asked.

"No! Anyway, you should probably work on healing it," he said. "It looks kind of sickly already."

"Oh no… um… heal! …Heal! …Heal! Estu, it's not working!"

"Calm down and cast the spell," he said. He tapped it again with his sword, using restore to give her a bit more time. Marlene looked at it, still waving her arms, trying to help it.

"Heal! Estu, I can't!" The tortoise looked around and pathetically fell on its stomach. "Oh no! Hold on Mr. Tortoise." She took a breath and tried again, this time, a glowing light surrounded the tortoise, and he looked up, apparently feeling better. "Oh… phew. I did it." Estu nodded, holding his sword up again. "Don't you dare hurt that poor turtle! He's been through enough already!" Estu cast poison as Marlene shot him a dirty look. "Why did you do that? I just said not to!" she shouted.

"You said not to hurt the _turtle_. That's a tortoise."

"You're a jerk, do you know that?" she asked, bending down to heal the poor tortoise again. "Heal. Heal. Heal, darn it!" Another glow of light, but this time, Marlene snatched the creature up before Estu could do anything. "No more! How would you feel if someone was poking at you all day just because they could?" He shrugged. "Just leave it alone, please? I don't think I can do anymore magic today, anyway."

"Alright then, let it go," Estu said. She looked at him warily. "I promise I won't poison the tortoise." Marlene nodded and let it go. It crawled, as quickly as turtlely possible, away from the two.

"I don't want to hurt anymore tortoises. Can we think of a different way to practice?"

"Yeah, I'll find an armadillo next time," Estu said. Marlene gave him a sharp look and then kicked him in the shin. "Ow! What the hell? You aren't usually this violent."

"Well, you deserved it," she said.

"Sorry?"

"No," she said, "Say sorry to Mr. Tortoise." _Really, Marlene? _"Say it, or I'll tell everyone about you."

"You know, I think most people would consider blackmail worse than hurting tortoises," Estu said.

"Say sorry!"

Estu sighed, bending down towards the creature. "Sorry… 'Mr. Tortoise.' I won't poison you again." The tortoise turned back briefly to hiss at him before continuing his crawl to safety.

* * *

><p>That night, everyone gathered around the Cosmo Candle for dinner. Nanaki joined them, and as he'd said earlier, sat as far away from Estu as possible. His presence seemed to set Nanaki on edge a bit though. They ate, discussing the new information on proto-materia and Zöld's recent broadcast, before turning to less serious topics, asking Nanaki how he'd been, and giving the details on the Battle of del Sol, as they decided to call it. Tifa disappeared for a few minutes and came back holding a small cake.<p>

"Happy birthday, Vince!" she said, putting it in front of him. "Now, blow out the candles."

"There aren't enough. I'll anger the birthday gods."

"Shut up and blow out the goddamn candles," Cid said. Vincent noticed a deep rumbling sound he recognized as Nanaki's laughter. He blew out the candles and accepted a small piece of cake. He made sure that Tifa watched as he took a bite before he sneakily slipped the rest of it to Nanaki. Marlene passed him a piece of paper.

"I made you a card," she said. Vincent looked at it, trying to smile, but… Everyone was drawn on it. _Everyone_. She seemed to notice his less than happy expression, and looked a bit worried. "It's on the back of a poster, sorry," she said.

"It's beautiful," he told her. She nodded, smiling.

As everyone left the fire and moved back to the observatory to sleep, Yuffie hung back a bit."Hey, Vinnie," she said. "Um, so you know it's your birthday and all-"

"Yes."

"Well, … here!" She held out a small wrapped parcel. _Oh, no… what on earth is this?_ She sat down next to him as he carefully unwrapped it. He held the gift up, a long red coat. "It's not exactly the same as the cape, but it's the closest I could find. Anyway, you just don't look right without all the red whooshy stuff." He nodded, trying it on. "I didn't steal it, in case you're wondering. I just had an old materia I sold… no big deal."

"Thank you," Vincent said.

Yuffie grinned. "Yeah, like I said, though. No big deal… um, I did have another present, though."

"Did you? You aren't usually that generous."

"Oh shut up! Anyway, just hold out your hands and close your eyes, all right?" she asked.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea."

"Just do it!"

Vincent sighed. "All right, fine." He held his hands out and shut his eyes. Yuffie pulled the bandana over them as well, just to be safe. Then, rather than handing him anything, she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before running off. Vincent pulled up the bandana. "Yuffie!"

"Sorry, Vinnie!" she called back, already a good distance away. Vincent rolled his eyes and opened up the blue book on the proto-materia. He actually moved away from the fire a bit, feeling warm in his new jacket. All things considered, it hadn't been a bad birthday at all.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I went through the worst case of writers block when I was working on this... I think it may have suffered a little as a result. If so, sorry. Also, I'm sorry if Estu distressed any turtle/ tortoise lovers out there. He was being a jerk, but Marlene got him back for it at least.**


	20. Chapter 20

_The dark haired man in black stood in what looked like a hanger, outside an airplane. He boredly paced back and forth as the pilot, a man in his early 30's, ran a comb through his mousy brown hair. When he saw him, the dark haired man rolled his eyes. "Really, Ace?" he asked. "We're going to be up in the air for a few hours. Why do you need to fix your hair now?"_

_Ace laughed. "You know, you could probably stand to keep a comb with you." _

_The man in black smoothed his hair down, still eying the plane. "Can we get moving? Neither of us gets paid for standing around, you know."_

"_Yeah, yeah," Ace said, climbing into the plane. The dark haired man did the same, hopping into the passenger seat. As Ace started the craft, the passenger held up a very short broad sword, examining the blade. A bit of light reflected off of it caught the pilot's eye. "Quit that, you'll blind me!" With a somewhat amused smirk, he sheathed the sword again. The pilot, after taking off, glanced back at the sword. "Why do you keep using that little thing anyway? Your old man can get you a better weapon, you know."_

"_Yeah, and he's offered to, but I told him a long time ago that if I have to live this life, I'm doing it how I damn well please. He can give the 'better' weapons, as you call them, to my brother if he wants."_

"_Such a rebel…" the pilot said, sarcastically. " Too bad you're still Shinra's favorite."_

"_I'm not their favorite, I'm the runner up, remember? All the work and none of the glory that Sephiroth got. At least I don't have anyone to compete with anymore, not since… hmm… Two years ago? Is that right?"_

"_You keeping track?" the pilot asked._

"_No, just wondering… so how're your kids doing?"_

"_Just fine…Great, really. My son's taken an interest in planes. My daughter just started crawling. Oh! I've got pictures of her! Do you wanna see? She's so cute now, being all mobile and stuff!" the pilot gushed. Ever since the birth of a son three years before, his normally sarcastic and tough demeanor was easily broken at the mention of his children._

_The man in black laughed. "Maybe when we land, I'll take a look."_

"_So how about you and your brother? He still hate you?"_

"_Yes… unfortunately." He'd tried his best, but accepted the fact a long time ago. It didn't really bother him as much as when he was a kid. Still, he tried every now and then to gain affection – gave fighting pointers, made his father include him in his program- but nothing seemed to work. At least the hatred was more passive aggressive these days, annoying, but no longer as outright._

"_Honestly, I think you're an idiot for putting up with him all these years."_

"_You're an idiot…" the man in black muttered._

"_What's his problem anyway?" the pilot asked. "Daddy never loved him enough?"_

"_Yeah, pretty much."_

"_Really?" Ace asked. "Maybe I should've been a psychologist instead of a pilot."_

"_Right, because there isn't already enough crazy in the world."_

"_Oh, thanks."_

_They flew for a bit, the man in black looking off into the distance and tapping his fingers against the window. Wake up! He looked at the ground… seemed so far away. Then the plane shook. No! Wake up! "What was that?" the man in black asked._

"_I dunno, just turbulence… wait… oh shit!"_

"_What's wrong?" The plane shook again. Wake up!_

"_Controls are jammed… shit!" Part of the roof flew off the plane, blasting the two with wind. The pilot struggled to get control of the plane, but it was no use, and Estu knew it. Wake up, wake up! The man and black shouted something as the engines stalled, the plane fell, but nothing could be heard over the wind. Falling, screaming, crashing._

Estu sat up, looking around. _Not this again._ He laid back down, almost used to the dream now, and took a deep breath, staring at the bunk above him. _Just a dream._ But there was something different that bothered him. He realized that before, he'd never seen the pilot's face or even heard the man in black's voice, at least as an adult. _It doesn't matter. Just a dream._ He shut his eyes and stayed still, but sleep wouldn't come to him. Annoyed, he stood and walked back to the fire pit known as the Cosmo Candle.

* * *

><p>Vincent was immersed in the books on the proto-materia, kept warm by the crackling fire and new coat. Many of the accounts he'd read told of archaeologists tracking it down, but apparently, it hadn't been used before. While looking through lists of researchers who had dedicated their lives to the study of it, two names caught his attention – Lucrecia Crescent and Grimoire Valentine. He read the names again to be sure, but there they were, right on the page. <em>Well that's… unsettling<em>. Vincent wasn't quite sure what to make of that fact.

He looked up at the sound of footsteps. Estu stumbled a bit, climbing down from the tower. He sat on a log near the fire, only glancing briefly at Vincent. "I can't sleep. I'm sitting here. …So, there."

"Be my guest," Vincent said, cracking the book open again.

Estu looked at the fire, absentmindedly poking at it with his sword. "Do you just not sleep?" he asked. "I've been with you people for three days now and you haven't slept at all." Vincent gave no answer, just flipped the page of the book, examining another Chaos/Omega illustration. "And… you're all… It's really bizarre." Vincent nodded, flipping another page. "You're just… you're weird."

"Is there something you want, Estu?" Vincent finally asked, setting the book down.

"Well," he began, "The other day, you acted as though you knew me. You even said you knew 'who I am.'" He looked up, green eyes flashing in the firelight. "So what do you mean? Is there something you know about me? I'm a bit… different. I know that much, but you are, too, aren't you?" Vincent instinctively flexed his clawed hand. "So, do you know me? Because… I can't say for sure, but I don't think I know you."

"Are you asking if we've met before?"

"Well, have we?" Estu asked.

"No. But why did you ask that?"

Estu looked off to the side. "I'm…" he stopped, looking back at the fire. "Never mind... Forget I asked… No, screw that! I don't care anymore. How do you know me? Because I… I don't know who I am. That's the whole reason I'm going with you people, but if you can tell me-" He stopped again as Vincent held up a hand.

"I'm afraid I don't really know for sure. All I noticed is that you bear a distinct resemblance to Sephiroth."

"Do I? I mean… I'm not that alike, am I?" he asked. Vincent shrugged. "I just don't think… I think if that were the case, I'd know something, right? Like those other three who looked like him, they all had a connection to him, didn't they?"

"Why is it that you don't know the answer?" Vincent asked.

"That's not your business!"

"Then I can't exactly help you, then, can I?"

"Well, no..." Estu admitted.

"Perhaps we should trade? You tell me something, I tell you something," Vincent suggested. "I get the feeling you don't trust me, so this way, we're even, right?"

"I… I guess so," Estu said.

"Why don't you know who you are?" Vincent asked.

Estu tapped his fingers along his knee. "I can't remember," he finally said. "I can't remember anything before about four years ago. Even then… I'm still forgetful. Sometimes I can't remember names or little things like that, and sometimes when I'm trying to remember something from three or four years back, I just can't… It's all fuzzy." _Amnesia, then_… "I think… my first clear memory was when my sister asked me my name, and I said I didn't know. And she asked me how old I was, and I said I was twenty-four for some weird reason… she didn't know whether to laugh or not, it was so ridiculous."

He paused, looking up at Vincent. "I've never told anyone that before… not in my whole life. But the fact that you acted as though you knew me just bugged the hell out of me. So… what, I ask something now?" Vincent nodded. "Okay, then… how come you don't sleep?"

"I don't really need to that much."

"That's it? That was one sentence! That isn't fair," Estu protested.

"Well you should have asked a better question then… though, I also sleepwalk, which is the real reason."

"Okay… so… your turn?"

"…I've got nothing, I'm afraid. You don't know. I don't know. Mystery solved," Vincent said.

"Are you serious? You aren't very helpful," Estu said. He set his chin on his knees, looking at the fire.

"Well, this probably won't help, but why aren't you asleep?" Vincent asked.

"I'm not tired," Estu said. Just as he stopped talking he yawned. "…That means nothing." Vincent eyed him a bit suspiciously. "Would you stop looking at me?" he asked.

"You don't have to answer if you don't want. No one's making you. But you do realize that you will have to ask yourself eventually?"

"I'll have to ask myself… fine then," Estu said. "Well… it's just kind of stupid is all… I keep having weird dreams. But… they aren't like what I've heard dreams are supposed to be like. They feel… I don't know, real? And sometimes stuff happens, stuff I really can't make up or explain. And in all of them, I'm me… but I'm not me." _You, but not you… an alter ego, then? Or past life? Memories transcending the lifesteam, perhaps…_

"Are you Sephiroth?" Vincent asked.

"No! Would you knock that off? I'm not him!" Estu glared at the fire, poking again with his sword. "It's this guy I've never seen before in my life. Dark hair and eyes… I don't know who he is, and it's bugging me… No one ever even addresses him by name! It's always 'son' or 'subject one' or something stupid like that. I feel like they're screwing with me sometimes." He dropped his sword, crossing his arms again. "Maybe it is just a dream and I'm more creative than I thought… no… I heard the name Hojo mentioned in one once, long before I'd heard of him."

"Hojo?" Vincent asked, feeling the familiar swell of hatred.

"Yeah… um the father of the guy… I don't know if they were friends or enemies or what, but they knew each other… but I probably just heard the name somewhere, right?" Estu asked.

"It's hard to say. Do you want to ask something now?"

"Sure," Estu said. He thought for a moment, trying to come up with a good question. "How old are you really?"

"Twenty-seven… or sixty-one, depending on how you count."

"What? Sixty?" Estu asked.

"Or I suppose you could make a case for thirty-one as well…" Vincent mused. "If you just didn't count the thirty years… Or if you averaged chronological age and physical age that would be… forty-four? Then there's emotional age, but that can't really be measured objectively… Then if you factor in-"

"Sixty?" Estu asked again.

"Sixty-one," Vincent corrected. "Or twenty-seven. Or thirty-one. Or forty-four. …I suppose it's a bit complicated."

"I knew it!" Estu said. "You really are a vampire, aren't you? …Please don't drink my blood. I'm sure I don't taste good."

"I'm not a vampire… and who told you that? Cid? Yuffie?"

"Denzel," Estu said.

Vincent rolled his eyes. "Figures. I'm not a vampire. It's just a bit of an in-joke."

"You sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure. Now, don't you think you should go back to sleep?"

Estu looked back at the tower and shook his head. "I'm up already. I don't think I'll be able to fall asleep again."

"Right," Vincent said, opening his book. "I imagine you're going to fall asleep again while you're sitting here."

"I bet ten gil I won't!"

"Very well. I'll expect ten gil in the morning, then."

* * *

><p>Four hours later, Vincent nudged Estu's shoulder. "Wah?" Estu asked drowsily.<p>

"Ten gil."

"Huh? …Oh, crap. Fine." He pulled the money out of his wallet and handed it over. "It was just because you looked short on cash… I fell asleep on purpose."

"Of course," Vincent said, pocketing the money.

Estu stood up, stretching. "So what are we doing today, anyway?" he asked. Vincent looked out at the sunrise, a bit distracted. "Mr. Valentine?" Estu said, trying to get his attention. Vincent looked back at him, and Estu looked down. "What's going on today? Are we staying here?"

"For now, yes. Cid was planning on rounding up the ex-Whiteshirts… or something. Of course, you're free to do whatever."

"Right…" he said.

"Vincent?" Estu and Vincent both looked up to see Nanaki walking towards them. _It's that… whatever he is…_ Estu thought nervously. The way the beast had growled at him, bearing fangs and teeth… it wasn't an experience he ever wanted to repeat. He took a few steps back, putting some distance between himself and the creature. Nanaki looked at him, a bit quizzically. "Hello. I… apologize for yesterday. Perhaps we can start over?"

"Um… I… guess…" Estu said, still backing up. The fact that he was intelligent bothered him even more than the feral nature he displayed. To him, it only meant that he was both clever and vicious, which made him more formidable. _Just keep stepping back. Slowly, calmly… Just don't look at him._

"Well, I am Nanaki, son of Seto. And you?"

"Estu, son of… well, yeah..." he replied, a bit awkwardly. _Just don't make any sudden movements and he won't attack. Keep your hand on your sword… You'll be fine. _He turned to Vincent. "I'm just going to go on, then. See you." Vincent nodded as Estu quickly walked away from the two.

* * *

><p>"He frightens me, a bit," Nanaki said, watching as the boy walked away.<p>

"Well, you seem to have the same effect on him," Vincent noted.

"Yes… but that's due to yesterday. I made a bad impression," Nanaki said. _Well that's an understatement. _Nanaki flattened his ears back. "But he's just… wrong. Very wrong. Everything about him. Why doesn't anyone else recognize him, Vincent? Surely they feel… unease around him, at the very least?"

"I was wondering the same thing," Vincent said. "But they all had to turn their weirdness alerts off a long time ago, and their senses aren't as sharp as ours. Maybe that's why they don't sense anything. As far as the resemblance goes… well, I'm not sure. I think that a few of them may have had a warped view of Sephiroth. And Cid and Yuffie only saw him a few times. That, and the fact that Estu is just a child."

"_Child_? Marlene is a child. Denzel is a child. He is… I'm not sure, but _child_ isn't the word I would use." Nanaki's tail flicked as he spoke. "But I suppose it doesn't matter… You are watching him… I doubt he can do much knowing that. I shouldn't have said anything to him, though. He makes my fur stand up."

"You'll be fine."

"Yes… I suppose I'm worrying about nothing. So did those books provide any insight?"

Vincent looked at the small library of texts scattered around the fire pit. "Well, I did find something interesting. My father worked with a group studying the proto-materia."

"Really? Your father?" Nanaki asked. "…You know, I don't think you've ever told me anything about your family, Vincent."

"It's not really important," Vincent said. "They all died a long time ago. And I was a bit… estranged even before."

"Why's that?" Nanaki asked.

"My parents didn't really like my chosen profession." 'Murderer for hire', he believed, was his mother's choice of words.

"Ah… I'm sorry I can't really relate. But if your father studied the proto-materia he was an archaeologist? No? Scientist?"

"Yes… he died when I was only twenty. I never found out what exactly happened…" _Lucrecia… she said she knew him… said that his death was her fault._ The memory of her ultimate rejection was painful, more from the absolute hell it had led to than from actual heartbreak. But this had to be what she was talking about - something to do with the proto-materia.

"I'm sorry," Nanaki said.

Vincent shook his head. "Like I said, it happened a very long time ago. Anyway, I didn't find that much in the books, aside from little details. You provided a very nice summery."

"Thank you, I try. But aren't you curious about the implications this materia has on your… er... condition?" Vincent looked back at one of the Chaos illustrations. It had occurred to him that the materia could be exactly what he needed to conquer the demon.

"Well, yes. But I'm not really certain what it would do. Either way, we only have part of it. Barely a third of the whole thing."

"Which would mean that the rest of it exists somewhere," Nanaki said.

"And Deepground wants it. I still can't figure out why, though. What reason could they possibly have? I mean, the only thing I can think of is the destruction of the planet, but why would they spend so much time taking it over, in that case?"

"I'm not sure. Though, now that you mentioned Deepground, I remember that Cid mentioned something about using what's left of the WRO military to fight them."

"That's right. What does he have planned today?" Vincent asked.

"Oh, he's announced a meeting later today. Around… noon? I believe? Yes, he said noon. Are you planning on going, Vincent?"

"I'm not much of a persuasive speaker," Vincent said.

"Well, going couldn't hurt, either way," Nanaki said.

"That's true. Well I guess I'll stop by around noon, then."

* * *

><p>"So what are we working on today?"<p>

"Target practice… why'd you think you were drawing the bull's eye?"

"Oh… that does make sense…" Marlene colored the large circle she'd drawn, as Estu paced back and forth. "What's got you so worried? Did Nanaki scare you again?"

"No… he actually apologized for yesterday. I think he's just trying to catch me by surprise and eat me though."

"Don't be silly. You probably don't taste good."

"Well… you said I'm a jerk, and he looks like he'd like jerky," Estu joked.

Marlene stopped coloring and looked at him, very seriously. "Estu," she said, "that might have been the worst joke I've _ever_ heard in my life."

"Yeah, I know." He paced again, trying to decide if his fear of Nanaki was justified or not. _Yeah, definitely_, he decided. He would just keep a firm grip on his sword while he was around the beast. Estu looked over at Marlene. "Are you about done with that coloring yet?" he asked.

"Why? You in a hurry?"

"No… I've got nothing to do… I'm so bored. I wish we could just keep moving. Heck, we could probably reach Nibelheim by tomorrow morning if we'd just go." He kept pacing. "So what's Cid doing about all the Whiteshirts anyway? He raising an army? Man, I'm tired…"

"You don't usually talk this much," Marlene said, starting to color the innermost circle of the bull's eye.

_True._ He just felt so restless after not sleeping well. He kept pacing, and watching Marlene color. "Well… Crap, I don't know. Are you done yet? This is driving me crazy."

"So you aren't already crazy?"

"Shut up… Are you done yet?"

"Yes," she said, holding up the bull's eye. "So, what, I just hang it on that post and shoot magic at it?"

"That's the idea. Ice, not fire. If you shot fire-"

"The paper would burn. I'm not stupid, you know," she said. She hung the paper and equipped the armlet that they designated exclusively for black magic. Marlene took a few paces back, getting into her fighting stance, and shot a ball of ice at the target. It missed. By a _lot_. "Shoot," she said. She tried again, with even worse results. "Shoot! Estu, how am I supposed to do this?"

"Practice makes perfect."

"That's so cliché!"

Estu briefly wondered if most seven (almost eight! …according to Marlene, anyway) year olds knew what a cliché was. "Well, there's probably a reason why it's cliché. So, go on." Marlene looked at the bulls eye and shot a bit of ice at it. This time it hit the edge of the paper. "That was better," Estu said. "Just keep working on that."

Marlene nodded and took another shot at the target, missing again. "So, you going to the meeting thing today?"

"Meeting thing?"

"About fighting Deepground," she said.

"I don't really _want_ to fight them, to be honest."

"How come? Aren't you mad that they attacked you?" she asked, taking another shot. Estu absentmindedly rubbed the scar on his cheek. "I mean… you're on our side, right?"

"I'm on _my_ side," he said. "I already told you, I'm just along for the ride… literally. And revenge has never been big on my priorities." Marlene looked back away and took another shot at the target, this time hitting the outer circle. _She's more focused when she's annoyed… that's a bit scary. _"You really shouldn't get mad about that. You already knew why I'm here. It's just faster than walking."

"Yeah, I know," she said, lowering her arms. "I'm feeling dizzy again…" She sat down on a nearby rock, watching as another tortoise crawled along, a few yards away.

"Low MP?"Estu asked, waking over. "I've got an ether, here…"

"No, thanks," she said. "I'm just going to go on to the meeting. It's almost noon. Do you want to come? …Even though, you aren't going to help?"

"Got nothing better to do," Estu said, taking the bull's eye off the post and rolling it up. He set a rock on it, to keep it safe. They could use it again later. Then he walked with her, back up to the Compound's center.

* * *

><p>"So do you have any sort of plan for this?" Vincent asked. Cid looked up from the small platform he was examining. "You're not just winging this meeting, are you?"<p>

"I'll just tell 'em why we're here, say a few encouraging words. How hard can that be?" Cid asked.

"That's it? You haven't thought this through?"

"What's there to think about, Vince? I told you, I've got this."

"If you say so…" The crowd was beginning to gather as noon approached. It was surprising how many people who had been forced to seek sanctuary in Cosmo Canyon. Scores of men and women stood around the platform, some still wearing remnants of their WRO uniforms. Vincent noticed one man still wore his red hat, though whether it was due to dedication or pride, he wasn't sure. The man looked up, nudging another man when he saw Vincent. _…I know those two. _ Vincent moved towards them, nodding slightly to each. "You're the Whiteshirts I met inside the WRO building, aren't you?" The one with a red hat stepped forward.

"Ah, yes! We few proud survivors of that gruesome day! My unit fought well, alas… we two are all that's left…"

"No thanks to you," the other man said, a bit bitterly. He looked up at Vincent, "Nice to see you again, Mr. Valentine. I'm glad you made it out all right." Vincent nodded, though he felt guilty. _I ran away from WRO when it was overwhelmed… I left these two for dead, and he's still greeting me, like I'm some sort of hero. _

"Same for you. That was a bad fight," Vincent said.

"Yeah, well we-"

"I led my troops to a small victory," the officer interrupted. "Fighting off the hellhounds and strange-lizard-things! After all, what good is a unit without their leader?"

"You aren't a leader anymore… why do you still wear that, anyway?" the other Whiteshirt asked.

"This hat is a mark of my long and accomplished career as a WRO military officer!"

"You were promoted a few days before the attack, weren't you?" Vincent asked. He remembered this one. Under all his bravado, he was quite cowardly.

"…ah…Yes."

Vincent turned to the lower ranked man. "You were pretty brave. I remember that."

"Thank you." Vincent nodded. _I'll have to remember to put in a good word for him. _Cid looked as though he were about ready to start speaking. One person sat near a radio, ear pressed closely to the speaker, just in case of another broadcast. Cid paced a bit, clearing his throat.

"So," he began. "You all know why you're here. Deepground has taken over your homes, overthrown our… government…ish… thing." Vincent raised an eyebrow. _This is how he's giving the speech?_ "Well…"

"Mr. Hightwind! I think there's about to be a broadcast," said the one with his ear on the radio.

"Oh… Well, put 'em on then. (Upstaged by a #$%^ing voice, that's just great.)" Vincent was fairly certain that only he had heard the last bit. They turned up the volume on the radio, listening to the silence that preceded Zöld's report. Something seemed wrong on his end of the line though.

" _Is this on? …Walter? This on?"_

"_Dude! Don't say my name on here, you're on."_

"_Shit. Ahem. This is Zöld, voice of… yeah, whatever. I don't have much time here folks, so listen up. Two hours ago, Deepground announced plans of attacking several places that they believe AVALANCHE may be hiding. List of cities – Corel, Gongaga, and Cosmo Canyon… not actually a city, but that seems to be what they think is most likely. They're mobilizing tonight. I… I don't know what to say, except… if you're in one of these places… Well, good luck. In a few hours they'll be heading towards these places... Defenders, expect Behemoths and Stratus soldiers. They'll arrive by tomorrow morning. And in a few minutes… I… they found out where I am. This may be my last broadcast. So, if you'll excuse me, I need to get the hell out of here. It's been great folks, thanks for listening. I don't plan on dying today, but… well… Stay safe and don't give up. Zöld out."_

The broadcast was followed by absolute silence. There would be panic in a moment, Vincent knew. This was the calm before a storm. And it was quite a storm. Murmurs of accusation, and worry started up first, and as more and more voices added to the din, the panic grew. Cid watched, a bit dumbfounded for a moment, before shaking his head and raising a fist. The familiar steely glint was back in his eyes. "Hey!" His voice was drowned out by everyone else. Cid rolled his eyes. "HEY!" he shouted. The voices dissipated and everyone turned back to Cid.

"Well. This is a bit of a surprise. Looks like we'll be having our first battle early on. An' I say 'we' because I have no intention to leave y'all here. Cosmo Canyon has always been sacred. If these Deepground jackasses have the nerve to attack this place, then they've asked for everything they've got coming." He looked around at the crowd. "Now I know what you're thinkin'. There ain't that many of us. And yeah, knowing our enemy, there will be a lot of them, especially if what Zöld said is true and they'll use the Stratus soldiers. But do you know what we've got? We've got something to believe in, something to fight for. And I have no doubt that come tomorrow morning, those of you who fight alongside me will be victorious."

He paused, looking for Vincent and Tifa, who stood among the crowd. "Four years ago… I thought that once the meteor mess was fixed, that would be it. I can't say I ever expected this, an' I told Reeve he was a moron, making such a big military force. I hate to say it now, but... I was the moron. All of you men and women who enlisted in the hope of creating a better future… All of y'all… Tomorrow will be the day that you fulfill your duties! If y'all were unable to protect Edge… well, welcome to the club. That was… a failure on my part too. But if we rise up now, we can protect this place! We can take the fight to Deepground! To Weiss! To Argento! To Zul and Violet and Rosso! We'll kick those traitors out of Junon! Out of Edge! We'll take our world back, reclaim what's ours! And we'll build everything back, because that's what we do. We've survived so much, and now we'll survive this! So, who's with us?"

The crowd applauded. Cid looked a bit taken aback, but nodded graciously. He looked around, motioning for Vincent, Tifa, Yuffie, and Nanaki to come forward. Vincent made his way through the crowd, up to the platform. Cid grinned. "Told you I've got this," he said.

"Sorry I doubted you… though your first introduction was a bit weak," Vincent said.

"#$%^ you, Valentine," he said, still grinning a bit.

"So... Another battle already," Tifa said, looking at the crowd.

"We're not outnumbered this time though! We'll be great!"

"This isn't a game, Yuffie," Nanaki said. "Though… I'm glad you're going to help me defend this place. I really can't thank any of you enough."

"Don't mention it," Cid said. "This is gonna be our first real victory. We'll kick ass and take names. Show Deepground that we mean business, and we're no one to #$%^ with. We've got a day to prepare, then tomorrow, we'll take those bastards down."

_He's confident in our abilities… that's a good thing, I suppose. This is our chance, tomorrow, maybe we can make up for what happened in Edge. No more running, it's time to fight._ Vincent looked out towards the crowd. If he could help it, these people would win… even if that meant… He'd have to be careful around so many. He'd had to transform in the heat of the last battle. _No. You'll be fine. Tomorrow is the day I fight for my friends, the day I protect this place. I may not be the hero type, exactly… but I guess it's time to save the world._

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Finally managed to write this after two days of staring at a computer screen with no clue what to say. I mostly just got stuck at Nanaki… I think that's the problem. I love that dog-lion-thing, but he's kind of hard to write for. No clue why, but the fact that his speaking style is a bit similar to Vincent's really started to bug me, they've got the same intelligent, slightly semi-formal sounding voice. So, I looked up Red XIII stories ,hoping to get a better feel for his character, and found that he stars in a grand total of 90 stories (In English.) For comparison, Denzel, who was only in that one comic and Advent Children, has 92 -two more stories than one of the original game's main characters. Also, Vincent is in a whopping 3,441, including this story, but… well it's Vincent. Still, though, poor Red. **


	21. Chapter 21

The events of the meeting left a bad taste in Estu's mouth. _So Deepground's coming here?_ One day to prepare - at least they had that much. Still, he didn't want to fight them. Things would be so much simpler if he managed to get the files without alerting them of his identity, but no – his life wasn't allowed to be simple, was it? _As long as Weiss remains alive, it'll be fine. I don't care about the rest of them._ But then, there would come a time when he had to beat AVALANCHE to Weiss… _Best not to think about that just yet_, he told himself.

Marlene stood with him, watching as Cid spoke with the other adults. "So… there's really going to be another fight tomorrow?" she asked Estu.

"It looks that way," he said.

"They'll never know what hit 'em, right Estu? Fire and Ice! All over them!"

"Marlene, what are you talking about?" he asked.

"Fighting Deepground. They've never fought me before! I'm like a secret weapon," she said.

"No!" he said, shaking his head. "Are you completely insane? You don't get to fight tomorrow."

"What?" she asked, disappointed. "But… why? You said I'm really good at magic, and that's the whole point of you teaching me how to fight, isn't it? So I can help battle?"

"The point was so you can defend yourself, just in case you needed to. A little fight isn't the same as this. This is… _I've_ never been in a battle this big before! You aren't ready. Not even close!"

"But…" She sighed. "Okay… I don't want to just sit on the side lines though…"

"I'm sorry." Marlene stayed quiet and kicked up some dust. Estu hated to admit it, but he really didn't want her to get hurt. He didn't think he was being overly protective, though. And besides, the others would never let her fight, especially those who didn't know what she was capable of. "You'll get your chance some day. Just not tomorrow, all right?" he asked.

"Okay…"

"We'll keep working on your fighting the next few days… maybe once we get to Nibelheim, Vincent or Yuffie can finish helping you learn?"

"After you leave?"

"…Yeah. After I leave," he said.

"Hey, Estu!" Denzel called. Estu looked up briefly. "Hey, Cid and them wanna know if you're fighting tomorrow."

"Yeah. I am."_ Like I really have a choice! Stupid Deepground… can't these people just take over the world, but leave me out of it?_

"Hey, cool!" Denzel said. "We can fight together like in Junon, huh?"

"…So they're letting you battle?"

Denzel awkwardly rubbed the back of his head. "Well… I haven't exactly asked yet. But Cid will let me, I'm sure. Anyway, if you need armor or equipment, or any of that, the people in the shops will loan you some. That's what Nanaki was saying, anyway."

"That's good. I need to get my sword resharpened at least." Those plants in Gongaga had really done a number to the blade.

"Denzel?" Marlene said quietly.

"Huh? Oh, hey. Didn't notice you. What's up?" he asked.

"Do you think…? Can we play some today?"

"No, I'm busy," he said.

"Well… I could just help you get ready for the fight?" she asked.

"I don't really need you getting in my way. Anyway, see you guys later," Denzel said, walking away.

"No one has time for me anymore," Marlene said. She kicked a pebble across the ground, looking both annoyed and sad. "Ever since… well, ever since we left Edge, Denzel's been all busy. After you leave, I won't have anyone even close to my age to talk to."

"…I'm sorry. Once all this is over with, I'm sure Denzel will have more spare time."

"Maybe. But, when will that be? If he's really going to be a part of AVALANCHE now… Estu, are we friends?"

The question surprised him a bit. "Um…" he said, trying to think. In truth, he had never really thought of anyone as a friend. Not that he couldn't make friends…well, maybe that was part of it – he just couldn't relate to other people. Plus, his paranoia tended to get the best of him, and people always seemed a bit put off by him… But he'd also lived most of his life on the road. Always moving, neither he nor Ami (even though she was a self-described social butterfly) had much time to make any meaningful connections. Not that it mattered too much. Estu never liked talking to people. Marlene was, in many ways, the first person outside his family that really knew him. And though she was an ally of sorts, he wasn't sure about 'friends.' They were friends because of circumstances … in a very odd way, he supposed…

"I guess," Estu said. "But you know that doesn't really mean much."

"Yeah. I know." Estu looked up at her eyes. They seemed so dull… so melancholy. It was such a contrast from what was usual for her.

"Listen… why don't we go up to the shops? I don't really know where anything is here." That wasn't true, exactly. He had a very good sense of direction, but she just seemed so depressed.

"Okay!" she said, smiling and cheerful again.

_I wonder how much of that cheeriness is an act… She gets so upset sometimes, but never lets it show. Does she do that for her benefit, or everyone else's? It can't be for hers… no… she doesn't want them to worry. She's much more affected by everything that's going on than people realize. She's just too damn happy for them to know she isn't! I hate it, but… no. I don't care. All she is is some kid. She isn't like you. No one is. You need to focus. I don't care about her… Crap, I need to get away from these people. Soon._

They both walked back up to the upper floors of the structure. The heights, as always, made Estu dizzy and nervous. _The only good thing about all this_, he reflected, _is that there's no flying today. _When they reached the shops, Marlene pointed them all out. "So… the weapon shop is here, armor there."

"I hate armor," Estu muttered.

"Well, you don't wanna get hurt, right? You should at least get something for your arms… you got so cut up in that last fight. Look, see, scar, scar, scar…" She poked at his arms, finding the faint little likes left over from the fight in Costa del Sol.

"Would you stop touching me?" Estu asked, pulling his arm away.

Marlene pointed another out. "…That's a bad one."

"That one was from a cat," he said.

"Oh… well, still, it looks pretty rough. …Are you just doing that on purpose? Battle scars don't actually make you look that much tougher. It just means you lost a lot."

"What do you know about battle scars? Anyway, they're all pretty faint, they'll heal, eventually… I think…" He rubbed the one on his cheek again. That one had been pretty deep… didn't look like it was going away. "And I only got those because I was protecting your sorry self!"

"And you didn't wear armor."

"I didn't think I'd get in a fight like that!"

"Well, now you do know, so you should get some armor."

…_Why is she so good at that_? Estu sighed and walked over to the shops, handing over his wakizashi. "Careful with it! If you break it-"

"Estu, be nice." _Why? …He better not hurt my sword._

* * *

><p>Vincent watched as the soldiers below began preparations for the morning's siege. He didn't really have much to do. He'd get more ammo, but after that, he'd be ready to fight. For the time being, he would need to go between everyone else, getting everything ready – which meant, at least for the moment, assisting Yuffie while she got a decent magic using force together. Tifa was getting the organization details settled with Cid. Once that was done, she'd make sure the preparations ran smoothly. While Cid, with his sanguine personality, was the more leader-like of the two, he'd be pretty lost without her.<p>

Denzel ran back from finding Estu. "He said he's fighting," Denzel said.

"Good…" Tifa said. "Now the Eastern and Southern walls are the most open, so we'll need to place more people there-"

"And I'm going to fight, too," Denzel asserted.

"Yeah… and that will give us a tactical advantage when… wait, what?" she asked. "You are not. You'll stay with the other children here."

"But!-"

"No 'buts.' You and Marlene need to stay safe, okay?"

"Estu gets to fight! Why don't I?" he asked.

"Because I'm not responsible for what he does. Besides, Estu is older than you."

"Not by much!"

"Four years?" Tifa asked. "That's a lot, Denzel."

"He's not really fourteen! Honestly, he doesn't have you fooled by that, does he?"

"Well, I haven't really paid much attention to him, to be honest. Now, you need to-"

"Tifa," Cid interjected, "he really is a decent fighter. Denzel could help us."

"Cid, that's not your call."

"Why not? Cid's the real leader here!" Denzel said.

Cid gave him a sharp look. "You need to listen to her."

"Why? She is NOT my mother! She needs to stop acting like she is!"

"Denzel, I may not be your real mother, but I do take care of you so-"

"So what?" he asked. "Your roof, your rules? Yeah, the Seventh Heaven's probably all torn up now. I don't have to listen to everything you say, I-"

"Apologize, now," Cid said, stopping him.

"Cid, I don't need your help," Tifa said. "We may not be in Edge, but the same rules apply, Denzel."

"Oh yeah? Well I'm fighting tomorrow, whether you like it or not, right Cid?"

"Kid, I just told you to apologize. I'm not sure why you think I'm switchin' sides now."

Denzel looked a bit taken aback. "…Fine! I'm sorry, Tifa. I'm sorry you're being such a-"

Vincent didn't think he'd ever seen Tifa so pissed. She drug Denzel up to the compound. Followed by Cid, who was yelling at him as well. He couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for him, though he really asked for it. Yuffie watched the three of them as well, apparently more shocked than Vincent. "Wow."

"…"

"She's kinda angry, huh?"

"Just a little," Vincent said.

"…Wow. Denzel's gotten a bit… umm…"

"Tifa will probably straighten that out," Vincent noted.

"Yeah. So, while their busy with that, do you wanna start finding the best magic users? That's what Tifa put me in charge of."

"Yeah, I know. Are you actually sharing your collection with the general public for once?"

"Don't tell anyone. I've got a reputation, you know," she said, seriously.

"Of course. Couldn't have anyone think that you were being helpful."

* * *

><p>Estu looked up from the armory to see Denzel making an odd face and sticking his tongue out. Tifa and Cid were with him as well. "You're lucky you got off as light as you did, kid."<p>

"Cid, I still don't need your help. And I know he learned that word from you, so watch it. You're next."

"Ha… yeah…" Cid said nervously, walking away. Denzel walked up to Estu and Marlene, looking mortified.

"Have you guys ever tasted soap before?" he asked. They both shook their heads. "I don't recommend it."

"What did you say?" Marlene asked.

"Oh, I just called Tifa a… shoot! I can't even say it without tasting the soap…uck."

"So, I take it you can't fight?" Estu asked.

"No! I'm going to. …I just need to figure out how to convince them…" Denzel said.

"You should tell Tifa that you're sorry," Marlene said.

"Oh, who asked you?"

"No one."

"Yeah," Denzel said. "Maybe I can get Yuffie to put in a good word for me. Yeah! That'll work! Later!" He ran off again.

Marlene crossed her arms. "Why doesn't he listen to me? You thought that was a good idea, right?"

"I'm not really the best person to ask about this sort of stuff," Estu said. He adjusted one of the bracers on his arm. "I really hate armor."

"You should get some of those shoulder things… what are they called… pauldrons?"

"No, I _really_ hate pauldrons."

"You'd look pretty awesome!"

"No, I'd look stupid. Do you really think I'd be able to pull that look off?"

"Pauldrons, long coat, and a giant sword," Marlene said. "You'd terrify everyone."

"Yeah, right. Like that would…" Estu suddenly realized just who she was describing. "Would you stop that? !"

"Stop what?" she asked.

"…Never mind. Let's get my sword and head to dinner, all right?"

* * *

><p>The night air shook with the sounds of uneasy sleep. Vincent kept watch, moving around the compound, ready to raise alarm if he heard or saw any signs of Deepground. It had been five days since he'd gotten any rest at all, and he was starting to feel the ill effects. He could go longer, he knew that, but after everything that had happened, the prospect of lying down for a quick nap was growing more tempting. <em>Just as long as the voices don't start up…<em> Vincent thought.

The stirs of people waking up were welcomed. As the sun began to rise over the horizon, the canyon was eerily silent. It was almost as though the local wildlife knew ahead of time that something had gone wrong. The emptiness of the red canyon made it feel cold and strange, like an alien planet. Meanwhile, the compound was full of life, but there was a sense of dread in the air, now that the excitement of Cid's call to arms was, for the most part, forgotten. Vincent rubbed his eyes and instructed someone else to keep watch as he walked back towards the compound's center.

"It'll be soon," he said, looking over at Cid.

"Yeah," he replied, gripping a spear. "Nothin' yet though, right?"

"Not yet." They moved over to the Southern edge, with Denzel and Estu. "So he's fighting then?" Vincent asked, glancing back at Denzel.

"Yeah… Mostly 'cause we really need all the help we can get. Tifa and I worked it out."

"Well that's good."

Gunners, archers, and other long range fighters stood atop the surrounding rock formations, ready to fire at the sight of Deepground troops. Yuffie's dozen or so magic users stood in strategic spots all around the compound. Yuffie herself waited, along with Tifa and Nanaki, closer to the western edge of the compound. Vincent was still, preparing himself for anything. Denzel, Cid, and Estu stood near, each looking ready to spring into action. They all watched over the cliff's edge. Tension filled the air as seconds ticked by, slowly.

Vincent was the first to hear the sounds of airplanes, helicopters, and tanks. "They're coming," he said. Cid nodded and gave the signal to sound the alarms. The sound of horns echoed across the canyon's cliffs, drowning out the noise of Deepground forces, growing closer, closer.

"Barriers!" Vincent heard Yuffie shout. Glowing walls of light appeared, ready to shield the compound from the worst attacks. Vincent gripped Cerberus as the first vehicles carrying troops came into sight.

"Arite! Move out!" Cid shouted. He moved down from the elevated compound, while still staying within the protective barriers. Dozens followed, ready to fight Deepground head on. The clashing sounds of swords rang through the air as the battle began. Vincent kept his distance from the others, shooting at anyone who made it through the front lines. From his vantage point on the edge of the cliff, he could see the battle clearly, and fire at the enemy just close enough to be deadly accurate.

Denzel and Estu stood back to back, moving defensively and offensively. Denzel blocked hits with his staff and Estu struck with his sword when the enemy began to tire. They were two sides of a coin, fighting styles opposite but perfectly compatible.

Vincent saw several helmeted soldiers rushing in. Their movements were a bit stiff and unnatural, but they were fast and seemingly immune to pain and fear. _Stratus._ He shot at the helmets, but they were well made, the bullets did next to nothing. Denzel blocked the attacks of one while Estu desperately slashed at it, to no avail. Cid thrust his spear through one, and though the Stratus soldier was gravely injured, he kept fighting until he finally bled out.

Yuffie ran around the field, casting Regen over crowds of Whiteshirts, and throwing stars at any Deepground troops that came near her. She swiped at a few with her Shuriken, while casting Haste, letting her move across the field more quickly. Tifa fought against the few troops that approached the western edge of the compound. Moving fluidly from one stance to another, she punched and kicked at them. The poor soldiers had no idea what they had gotten themselves into before they flew back from the force of her attacks.

Still standing atop the small cliff, Vincent spotted the first Behemoth, slowly walking towards the battlefield. He slid down and ran towards it, trying to pry its protective helmet off. It flailed around, wildly swinging its arms, but this time, Vincent stayed steady and pulled at the helmet, finally getting it off. He fell back, landing on a jagged rock, but gritted his teeth and took a shot at the monster, killing it. But there were more of them approaching… along with another wave of Stratus soldiers.

A blur of red fur and fire rushed past him as Nanaki savagely clawed at the approaching troops. His coat was streaked with blood, and his teeth were bared as he bit down on one trooper's arm. In a feral trance, an adrenaline high, he probably had little idea what he was doing. In the heat of the battle Nanaki's instincts took over, rendering him a fearsome creature.

The battle went on as Cid stabbed at one of the Behemoths who had crossed the front lines with little resistance. In a moment of desperation, he pulled a stick of dynamite out of his pocket, but was thrown back by the monstrous soldier before he had a chance to light it. Vincent cast fire towards it, catching the Behemoth in the explosion right as it stepped over. It flew through the air, landing either dead or unconscious in a crumpled heap against one of the rock walls. Cid attempted to stand back up, but his leg buckled beneath him. Seeing he was injured, Vincent ran over.

"Come on," he said, "We need to get you back to the compound."

"I'm fine!" Cid said through gritted teeth. He tried standing, but collapsed again, gasping in pain. A sliver of white bone had pierced through his leg and trousers.

"You're done here," Vincent said gravely, putting Cid's arm around his shoulder.

"Just give me a #$%^ing potion! I'll be fine!"

"Not with a compound fracture…" Vincent said, dragging him back towards the medic station. When he managed to make his way inside the tent, he recoiled at the strong scent of potions and ethers mixed with blood and anesthetic. A flustered looking teenage girl helped set Cid on a cot, before using an ether and getting to work healing.

"I'll be back, right?" Cid asked, trying to watch the battle.

"I don't think so…" the girl said. "Someone help me set this!"

Vincent quickly ducked out of the tent. It made him uncomfortable. It was too much like a hospital… too much like a lab. He started to run back towards the battle still raging through the canyon, but was stopped at the sound of Yuffie's voice. "Vinnie!" she called. He walked over to her.

"Something wrong?" he asked, eyeing the field anxiously.

"Weiss," she said, out of breath. "Weiss is here."

"Here? Now?" Vincent asked, incredulously. "But he was going back to Edge… why?"

"I dunno, I'm just telling you what one of the sentries saw. So… you know what this means, right?"

"We can end this now," Vincent said, turning away.

"He's got a lot of protection… do you see where that helicopter is?" Vincent looked out at the distance and nodded. "Good luck, Vinnie," she said, looking a bit worried.

"You know that I'll be fine, right Yuffie?"

"Yeah. I know. Now go kick their asses, alright, Vince?" He nodded and turned, coat fluttering behind him as he made his way back down from the compound. Estu looked up as Vincent passed by him.

"Is it true? Weiss is here?" he asked. Vincent turned back towards him.

"Yes," he answered simply.

"Well… I mean what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to try to kill him."

"What?" Estu asked. "No! You can't!"

"And why not?" Vincent kept walking back toward the battle and Estu followed, leaving Denzel behind.

"It's … It's suicide! He's surrounded by protection. You'll die."

"I won't die," Vincent said, firing at one of the soldiers a few yard away.

"You don't know that!" Estu said.

"Actually, I do."

Estu shook his head, running to keep up. "I'm going with you then." Vincent didn't have time to protest. He and Estu fought their way through crowds of Stratus soldiers and normal troops. Vincent cast thunder, disabling one of the helicopters that was flying towards the others. Estu dodged hits, using both his sword and knife to slash and stab at the surrounding enemies. "Just listen for a minute! You know he's Deepground's leader, he isn't going to let you kill him. Just … let's go help everyone else fight!" said Estu, desperation sounding through his voice.

"You can do that if you want," Vincent replied. They had gotten through the worst of the battle field, and the helicopter wasn't much further away. A man in a white lab coat walked out of the helicopter, a slow, cruel smirk spread across his face. _Weiss… So we meet again._ Vincent raised his gun, aiming for the doctor's head.

"No! Don't!" But he pulled the trigger anyway, sending a trio of bullets towards the man. There was a flash of silver and Weiss still stood, unharmed as a Stratus soldier blocked the bullets with a large sword. The old man smiled again, signaling for the troops surrounding him to move forward. Estu and Vincent fought against them as they approached, but the sheer number of them left the two struggling. Vincent, surrounded by foes, lashed out with his claw, still trying to get a clear shot at Weiss.

"Kill the one in red, but leave the boy alive for now," Weiss instructed the sword wielding Stratus soldier. The soldier swung at Vincent who tried to jump back. He dodged the swings, trying to get near enough to attack, but the size of the sword prevented him from getting too close. Estu struggled against the enemies as well, getting knocked back by one of the Behemoths, dropping his sword. The giant picked him up and Estu struggled against its grip, trying to get free. Another swing from the sword-wielding foe distracted Vincent. He ran back a bit and readied his gun. Another trooper swung with a hammer, knocking Cerberus out of Vincent's hand. He eyed the Stratus soldier, dodging attacks.

"Let me go!" Estu yelled, still struggling against the large foe. He looked around wildly making eye contact with Vincent, who still dodged. Just as he thought he found the Stratus soldier's pattern of attack, he changed it, stabbing forward with the sword right into Vincent's chest.

"No!" Estu shouted, unable to do anything but watch as the stratus soldier continued to strike at Vincent. _Stay up. Stay up._ Vincent struggled against the onslaught of attacks, trying to defeat the foe. There was intense pain where he'd been stabbed and he struggled just to stay conscious. _Keep fighting. You can end this now! _But the soldier stabbed again with the sword, this time, Vincent felt as it pierced through him, an exit wound on his back. His mind grew hazy as he struggled to ignore the agony of the blow. _You can end this… you can end this now. _But it was too much, even for him. He fell forward into a pool of his own blood as the soldier pulled the sword back.

* * *

><p>"No! Vincent!" Estu yelled, staring at the fallen man. <em>No… no! I told him! No!<em> "Vincent!" he yelled again in desperation.

"Save your breath, thief," Weiss said. "After all, you don't want to spend the last moments of your life talking to a dead man, do you?"

"Let me go!" Estu struggled against the Behemoth's firm grip. "You bastard! Let me go! Fight me like a man, you coward!"

"You aren't going to goad me into releasing you, thief. That may have worked on my idiot of a son, though… kudos for that, I suppose…" Weiss strolled over. "Lower him a bit, would you?" The Behemoth wordlessly obliged. Fear gripping him, Estu shut his eyes.

"Now then…" Weiss began. "You've stolen something. I'd like it back."

"Why? You'll just kill me either way!" Estu said, eyes still closed.

Weiss laughed before clearing his throat. "Hmmph. Very acute prediction. Yes. I plan on killing you either way… but there are much slower ways to kill someone, you know… Crueler ways… Death by a thousand tiny cuts? Or then there's starvation… of course if you cooperate, it could be much simpler. A quick bullet? Or if you'd prefer my… henchman, if you will, could simply drop you over the side of that cliff. A bit messy, but quick. Except the way down… falling, it would take a while… falling."

Estu made an involuntary noise in fear. "Don't like that idea? Haha. I suppose if you don't cooperate then I could let you dangle off of a cliff… suspend you from the helicopter and cut you so you bleed out slowly. You can avoid that though. Tell me where you've hidden my files."

"Never!"

Weiss sighed. "Oh, you hero types… always so difficult. Though you don't look like much of a hero now… quaking just in fear of my voice. Tell me, thief, do you think you're you a hero?"

"N- no," Estu answered.

"Hmmph… surprising…" Weiss said, quietly. "But then you're simply a coward… why don't you look me in the eye, thief?" Estu ignored him, taking a shaky breath and turning his head away. "I said to look me in the eye," he commanded. Estu felt cold fingers grip his chin, turning his head back towards Weiss. "…Open your eyes, thief. See your death."

"L- let me go!" Estu said again. He felt a sharp knife at his side.

"You've got determination… that's pretty apparent. Unfortunately, you and I share that quality." The point of the knife dug into his side a bit. Estu bit his lip, refusing to cry out in pain. "You think you're brave? Shutting your eyes in fear… has to be the most idiotic act of rebellion I've ever seen. Now, open your damn eyes." Estu did, slowly, if only to find some way out. He looked around… nothing. Nothing to save him - just Weiss's dark, almost black eyes. They felt as though they were piercing into his very soul. He looked off to the side, avoiding them.

"See… better, don't you think. Now I'll ask one more time, because I'm a nice guy. Where are my files?" Estu said nothing and felt the knife at his side again.

"Ack!"

"Look at me! Where are… they? …" Weiss paused giving Estu a scrutinizing look. "Your eyes…" An unreadable expression passed over Weiss's features as he stared. "…So. Some of you survived then?" Estu stayed silent, bracing himself for another stab with the knife. "…You lived… so which are you then?" When Estu said nothing, Weiss's expression went to crazed anger. "Which are you! ?"

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Estu said, trying to look away.

"Yes you do! Now which one are you? Two? They always liked Two… No? Are you Two?"

"What?"

"Then Five? That's who you are… No. No… I saw Five's corpse. Are you… is it possible? Are you… Four?"

"I don't-"

"ARE YOU FOUR?" Weiss shouted. Estu kicked at him, but the Behemoth simply jerked him away. "Put him down! Now." Estu fell, landing on his knee. The point of Weiss's knife pricked his throat. "If you are… tell me now. Who are you?"

"I… I don't know!" Estu said, trying to back away from the knife.

"That isn't good enough. I want to know. Are you-" A gunshot rang through the air. A bullet caught Weiss's arm, and his knife clattered to the ground. Weiss looked around, pain and rage burning in his eyes. "Damn it! I told you to kill the one in red!" He cradled his arm staring at Vincent, doubled over in pain, but aiming a shaking gun. He took another shot at Weiss, but the bullets were blocked again by the Stratus soldier body guard. "Kill him!" Weiss held his arm and made his way back to the helicopter. Estu stood, pain burning from the wound at his side, but he grabbed his sword and rushed after Weiss. Another swing from the Behemoth threw him backwards.

He stood again, jumping up and prying the helmet off of the monster before stabbing it. The Behemoth fell, along with Estu. Meanwhile, Vincent struggled again against the Stratus soldier, managing to slash at his arm with his claw. The helicopter started up and the Stratus soldier ran back to it as it rose off the ground. Vincent took aim, trying to get one last shot at Weiss. The bullets missed, and he fell from another burst of pain. Estu watched as the helicopter flew away.

"…I missed," Vincent said, still holding his chest. "Shit! He was right there! And I missed!" Estu stared at him as he threw his gun down in uncharacteristic anger. "I missed! Ow…"

"You're hurt… how are you even alive right now?" Estu asked.

"I'll be fine… worry about yourself. You're bleeding." Estu looked down at his side, and cast a restore spell. Vincent stood, still shaking. "I can't believe…" he shook his head. He tried taking a breath, but seemed to have trouble with it. "We need to get back to the others. Are you okay?"

"Are you?" Estu asked, still amazed that Vincent was standing.

"Just give me a minute…" Vincent examined the wound, surprisingly it was shallow, well shallow compared to earlier. He took another breath as it closed up on its own.

"How did you…?"

"No time. We need to go," Vincent said, running back up the where the battle took place. Estu followed behind as the ran to help finish off the remnants of the Deepground attackers.

* * *

><p>Vincent shot a trio of bullets at one of the last Stratus soldiers standing. The few free minded Deepground troops were long gone, and the only foes remaining were those who were there unwillingly. <em>How many? How many people has Weiss done this to?<em> He still couldn't believe he'd missed his chance at killing him. Tifa and Yuffie took down one last Behemoth while Nanaki howled and lunged at the last Stratus soldier's throat. Vincent tiredly looked away. The defense of Cosmo Canyon had been successful… why then did he feel like such an utter failure? He stood outside while the others went back to the compound, delivering news of their already decided victory. After a few minutes, Cid hobbled out of the medic tent, leg heavily bandaged. "We won, Vince!" he said, grinning.

"Yeah… we won. Weiss is still alive, though."

"Don't beat yourself up for it. No one even expected him to show up, so nothin' lost, right?"

"I guess."'

"We're gonna have to see where we are, but I don't think there were many casualties. My leg got #$%^ed up, but other than that, everyone's alright."

"Right."

"…Vincent, it'll be fine. We'll get that sick bastard. Mark my words," Cid said. Vincent nodded, looking back at the compound. The sounds of celebration already echoing throughout the canyon as the others learned of the overwhelming victory against Deepground. It looked as though someone had found fireworks, and rockets burst into color, high above the Cosmo Canyon. "Be happy, Vince. We won."

"Yeah… we did. This is really the first time… isn't it? If you don't count Costa del Sol…"

"I'll count that. So we're two for two now," Cid said. The tide of the war was turning it seemed. And this time, Deepground gained nothing. _Next time…_ Vincent thought, next_ time will be a real victory. Next time Weiss dies._

* * *

><p>Estu stood with Marlene and Denzel, watching as the fireworks burst over the canyon. "So you really saw Weiss?" Denzel asked, looking jealous. Estu nodded. "So... what was he like?"<p>

"Scary," Estu replied. Weiss's words were still with him... the haunting familiarity of his voice... the soul piecing eyes. Somehow, Weiss seemed much more than an evil old man. He was the stuff of nightmares. And then there was that reaction when he really looked at Estu... recognition._ He knows me..._ _how_? The connection between him and Weiss was unclear, but there was no denying that it was there. He would need to find out. _ Next time_... Estu thought, _next time I figure it out. I have to know._


	22. Chapter 22

There were still a few daylight hours after the battle, but everyone was far too worn out to do anything productive. Estu watched the fireworks, still going off. Normally they would take his mind off of things… but… _Don't think about what Weiss said. Don't._ But if Weiss knew him, wouldn't that mean he was… _Don't think about it._ He didn't want to know anymore. He just wanted to watch the fireworks… maybe set a few off. Actually, that wasn't a bad idea. "We should go find where the rest are," he said to Marlene and Denzel. "The fireworks, I mean. I want to go launch a few."

"Aren't they kinda dangerous?" Marlene asked.

"Marlene, where were me and Estu this morning?"

"Fighting against… oh… I see your point," she said.

The three of them looked around, trying to find the source. But soon after they started the search, the firework display stopped. "Aw! Lame," Denzel said. _Great… now what? _

Distractions, once so avoided, became Estu's focus. But there were only so many ways to kill time in Cosmo Canyon. He, Marlene, and Denzel found an old piano after exploring a bit. The poor thing didn't look like it had been played in years. "Huh… neat!" Marlene said, dusting it off. She pressed a few keys, making Estu cringe. "…Out of tune?"

"Very out of tune. Think you can find something else to do?" She played a few more notes.

"Sounds okay to me," she said, starting to play a simple tune.

"Marlene, not 'The Chocobo Song'!" Denzel protested.

"It's all I can play," she said, playing through it again. "Hey Estu, play a few chords. Maybe it'll sound better."

"I don't do music," Estu said, sitting down regardless. "…You're playing in the wrong key. That's why it sounds bad. Try F concert…" Marlene nodded, switching the position of her fingers. "But you have to play the B flat…"

"I thought you don't do music?" Denzel asked.

"I don't… you missed that note, Marlene."

"Well… you sound like you do."

"I've never even touched an instrument," Estu said. He boredly played with a few keys, making a counter melody to Marlene's song. She stopped playing, looking over at him. "What?" he asked.

"…You know you really don't have to lie. You've obviously played before."

"No, I really haven't. I was just messing around with it."

"Could've fooled me," Denzel said.

Estu stood up from the bench. "Can we do something else? This is really… weird." The each shrugged and continued the quest to pass the time.

* * *

><p>Cid was told that he wasn't allowed to walk for the rest of the day. "News to me…" he'd said to a very irritated medic. Even with the cure spells cast on him, it had been a bad injury. At least Yuffie had some bright ideas to 'cheer him up'. These ideas didn't seem to help Cid much, but they definitely improved Vincent's mood. In the present, Yuffie narrated her part as 'the sole savior, fighting against all odds in a battle of epic proportions' - complete with sound effects and animated gestures…<p>

"And then I was all like Pshu! And then the Behemoth was all 'AAARRRRGGGG!' And then…!"

"Yuffie, I was there!" Cid said, looking irate.

Yuffie grinned. "Yeah, but you had to leave early, so you missed the best parts."

"If Vincent hadn't been such an asshole and just let me keep goin'-"

"Oh thanks Vincent," Vincent interrupted, "I'm so glad you saved me from certain death. I'm lucky I have a friend like you to drag me to a medic tent when I break my leg…"

"That doesn't sound much like Cid," Yuffie said. "You gotta sound pissed off, leave the g's out of your verbs, add a bunch of random profanity, and put something in your mouth while you talk."

"What the #$%^ are you talkin' about?" Cid asked with a cigarette between his teeth.

"Yeah, that was a good Cid impression!"

"I'll take notes on the subject… can you do the impression again, Cid?" Vincent asked.

Cid rolled his eyes as Yuffie laughed at him. "Yeah, yeah. Let's all laugh at Cid when he's hurt. Some friends you people are."

"Vinnie didn't laugh," Yuffie said.

"That's because it's physically impossible for him to."

"…Haha?" Vincent said.

"See, it just doesn't work."

The day passed into night. They would have to get right back to flying in the morning, but for the time being, leisure time was both welcome and needed. Either way, Cid wasn't fit to fly just yet, so Nanaki's hospitality came in handy. After everyone left the fireside, late in the evening, Vincent yawned and sat down near the fire, again waiting for dawn.

* * *

><p><em>The black haired boy was playing a piano. Skillfully pressing the keys, he played a complex series of chords and rhythms with a very simple melody hidden within. It was a bit sad sounding, but also soothing, somehow. "Would you stop that racket?" a voice called. It sounded a bit like the younger brother, but Estu wasn't sure. The boy sighed, placing the cover back over the keys. <em>

"_Sorry!" he called, though he didn't see the point. "Father hates him, he hates me, I … well it doesn't really matter. I'll need to make sure my accommodations in Gongaga have a piano." …What accommodations? " I need to pack up… first mission." What mission? "I've got that new pilot, Ace, though… hope he's a decent flyer…" The black haired boy moved towards his room to pack, muttering, "Have to win… have to win even though I've already lost. …Maybe then I'll have more time to play." _

Estu opened an eye, looking around the bunk room. _Well, that was pointless… stupid random dream me… stupid pianos…_Estu closed his eyes._ What's with pianos today, anyway? … wait, I wonder _… He stood out of bed and quietly made his way to the piano room they had found earlier. After giving the stool a quick dusting, he sat down. _This is stupid… you have no idea how to play._ He frowned, pressing a few keys. _ Still needs to be tuned. _

Taking a breath, he started pressing the keys, creating the same melody from his dream. He smiled a bit, adding the harmonious chords and speeding up the tempo slightly. All from memory… it seemed a bit unnatural, as though his fingers didn't quite want to cooperate with his mind. The harmonious pieces didn't sound as beautiful, and the technique wasn't as skillful as how the dark haired boy played, but the tune sounded decent. He laughed as he finished the song. Then played through it again, and again…

…_Why can I do this?_ It was bizarre to say the least. _Perhaps? Got it!_ Forgetting that people slept within other rooms he raced outside, down to the fire pit.

"I figured it out!" he announced. Vincent barely glanced at him, now used to the midnight visits. "Did you hear me? I totally know what happened."

"Do you?" Vincent asked.

"Yeah. Now this will probably be the craziest thing ever but – I can play the piano!"

"So can Tifa. What's your point?"

"My point," Estu said, "is that I never learned. But the kid in the dreams knew! Therefore, I'm him." Vincent raised an eye brow. "No really! That's gotta be it. I, or he…whatever, must have had a bad run in with a time materia – which explains the age difference – and hit my head when I fell out of the time vortex –memory loss – and since then… um… Oh! Someone has been dying my hair while I sleep, just to screw with me, for the past four years."

"Estu… that doesn't make any sense. At all," Vincent said.

"No, it makes a lot of sense! That's definitely what happened… nothing's jogging… I figured it out. Isn't that supposed to jog a memory?" Estu frowned. "Why do I still not remember?"

"Because that isn't how amnesia works… or time travel, for that matter."

"So… you don't think my theory's right?"

"No, even if it were technically possible, it would still be highly implausible. I think you might be suffering from a slight breakdown, though. Go get some sleep."

"I'm not having a breakdown! Look, what's wrong with my theory? It covers everything-"

"Except your eyes," Vincent said.

"My eyes… crap. Um… the time vortex caused a mutation and…"

"And the fact that Weiss knows you," Vincent continued.

"He was… experimenting with the time materia and I got caught in it…"

"And the entire connection to Sephiroth."

"No! I'm not… I already told you. Hair dye and a time vortex related mutation… actually the mutation could explain the hair, too. So that's it," Estu said stubbornly.

"Really?" Vincent asked. "Is that really what you're going with?" Estu nodded. "You don't actually believe that, do you? It's the most ridiculous story I've ever heard, and I talk to Yuffie on a regular basis."

"…It's a sound theory. I'm not… I'm not him. I'm not."

"I didn't say you were, exactly. But you have to admit to yourself-"

"Admit what? I don't need to admit anything."

"-that in all likelihood there is a relation of some sort," Vincent finished. "You have to ask, are you completely certain you have nothing to do with him?"

"…No, I'm not sure about anything… but… I don't want…" Estu grew quiet and pulled his legs up to his chest.

"What you want to be the truth is irrelevant. Now what did Weiss say, exactly?" Vincent asked.

"You were there," Estu said, not wanting to think about any of that.

"In case you've forgotten, I was unconscious from being stabbed. Twice. All I heard of the conversation was the very end."

"Why didn't that kill you, anyway?" Estu asked.

"Don't change the subject."

"I wasn't! You were the one who brought the stabbing thing up." Estu tapped his fingers across a log, frowning again. "I'm just going to go back to bed… or maybe I'll go play that piano, because I can do that, apparently," he said, standing up. Vincent gave him a sharp glare and Estu sat back down. "Or not. …I just don't want to…" he sighed. "Before you got back up, Weiss was trying to find a good way to kill me… then he was just speaking nonsense, spouting out all these random numbers. Two, Five, Four… particular emphasis on Four."

"Numbers… right, heard a bit of that."

"Yeah, like I said, random."

"No, I doubt there was anything random about it. There were a few people, four years ago, who had numbers tattooed on them… Sephiroth copies... Five and Four… those two were in Nibelheim. Two was in Sector Five. Aerith told me about him."

"Were any of those people kids?"

"…That wouldn't fit… they all tried to make their way towards the Northern Crater. I think they were destroyed, anyway." Vincent seemed to be having his own conversation. "And even then, they were all completely incoherent… only mumbling about Reunion. Then there's the lack of a tattoo… you would notice that, wouldn't you? Of course… They weren't even 'copies' per say… such a misnomer…" Estu stood quietly, hoping to sneak away while Vincent was talking. "Then there's the matter of actually meeting Number Four, and… Sit down."

"Sorry," Estu said.

"Though from my …experience… with Hojo," Vincent paused for a moment, glaring. "I saw that he tended to like giving his projects simple numbers and letters. If Weiss worked with him-"

"Projects?"

"Yes, experiments and test subjects and such… now if Weiss-"

"Experiment? That's not… that can't be it."

"Why?"

"Because I… I don't want that to be it. I'm not… I'm a person, not…" _Not a lab rat… that can't be it._

"You would still be a person, regardless," Vincent said. If Estu didn't know better, he'd think there was a bit of sympathy in Vincent's voice. He glanced up suddenly, then rolled his eyes looking annoyed.

"Something wrong?" Estu asked.

"Nothing you can help," he replied, yawning.

"…Are you tired?"

"Very. Now if Weiss worked with him, and referred to you as a number, then that would suggest that there was a series… of… something… clones?"

"Clones? No, I'm not him! How many times do I have to say that?"

"Again, I didn't say you were him… exactly. I'm just trying to help you figure this out. Do you even want to know?"

"No," Estu answered. "I don't anymore… but I _have_ to know even though I don't _want_ to. I can't just give up, now that I decided I need to know. Does that make sense?"

"It's understandable."

"Well… good, I guess. But I don't want to think about it right now. We'll get to Nibelheim soon enough."

"That is true," Vincent said. "Just know that you may not like the answers you find there."

"Yeah. I know… but that's not how the game works, you still have to tell me something now." Vincent looked a bit puzzled. "You remember, I tell you something, you tell me something. I told you my theory, so… yeah." Vincent shrugged. "Okay. How come that battle didn't kill you?"

"That is a very_, very_ long story."

"You have to answer. That's the deal," Estu said.

"I'll give you the simple form then… as you guessed earlier, I'm not… normal, exactly. I haven't aged in thirty-four years, and I have abilities beyond a normal human's… that's the simple answer."

"That isn't really simple. So you just can't die?"

"It's more complicated than that," Vincent answered. He looked up again, and rubbed his temple. "…Great… but no, nothing's killed me yet…at least not permanently."

"But the same could be said by anyone," Estu said.

"Not exactly… it could be said by any living person, but as far as the dead go-"

"Well the dead don't talk, so they couldn't say anyway."

"…Right… the dead don't talk… perhaps just to each other…"

Estu wasn't sure where the conversation was going, but it seemed to be taking a turn towards morbidity. "I'm just going back to bed then… See you later." A nod, as Estu started a long climb back to the bunk rooms.

* * *

><p>"Arrite, let's get this shit loaded. Gotta get back in the air soon."<p>

"Cid, you could help, you jerk!" Yuffie protested, carrying a box of supplies onto the airship. It was very early in the morning, far earlier than when Yuffie liked to wake up. "You're standing around doing nothing. Quit being lazy!"

"Broken," he said, gesturing towards his still bandaged leg. "Anyway, did you really just call me lazy?"

"Yes!"

"You. You call me lazy? You haven't done a damn thing to help out on the ship." Yuffie mumbled something unintelligible. It was too early for her to banter with Cid.

"Are you sure you can't come with us?" Vincent asked Nanaki.

The beast shook his head. "I'd love to, but there's a lot here I need to take care of. I'm sorry."

"We understand, Red. Just keep safe, okay?" Cid said.

"I will. You try to safe as well. We've lost too many people…" Nanaki replied. "I'll keep the military forces you recruited here, once you have _Shera_, just stop by. I'll have to join up again, too. I don't want to miss the last fight."

Vincent nodded. "Take care, Nanaki."

"You too, Vincent."

They all got back on the ship and took off, on the way to Nibelheim again.

After flying for a few hours, Vincent was struggling to keep his eyes open. Almost a week without sleep, he felt exhausted. He was nowhere near his record – 15 days, but after fighting and traveling so much he was tired. "Do we have any coffee?" Vincent asked Tifa.

"Does that even work on you?" she asked.

"I don't really know… It should, shouldn't it? Simple biology, it_ is_ a stimulant."

"Yeah, except you don't follow any of the rules of simple biology," she pointed out.

"…So do we have any?"

"Afraid not."

_Then why did you even ask if it would work?_ **You sound a bit irritated, Vinnie.** _ Shut up, I don't want to talk to you ,Hellmasker__**.**_** You know, someday when I stand covered in the blood of your friends, you'll wish you'd been kinder to me. You'll say, oh Maskie! How I wish I'd talked to you when Chaos was being a jerk! Gotta be careful, if I'm isolated like this I might go a bit insane! Hahaha!** Vincent took a breath, walking back to the control room. _No sleep, no caffeine, voices in my head_… **At least you acknowledge how screwed up you are.** _I'm not screwed up._ **Yeah, and I'm not a Jason lookalike. **_…What are you talking about?_ **Oh nothing you'd know about. **

"Something up, Vince?" Cid asked as Vincent reentered the control room.

"Do you ever just feel like banging your head on a wall?"

"…Um… That would hurt."

"Yes, it would."

"…Okay, then," Cid said, lowering the airship's altitude a bit. "Denzel, you pilot for a bit."

"What? Me?"

"Yes you, dumbass."

"Um… Okay… Ah! What do I do?" he asked looking at the multitude of controls.

"Cid, is that a good idea?" Vincent asked.

"It's on autopilot, he'll be fine," Cid said quietly. "Anyway, I'm takin' a nap."

"All right then," Vincent said, crossing his arms and exiting the room. The day passed by without any unusual events, which normally would have been just fine. But boredom wasn't helping Vincent at all. He couldn't have been gladder when they finally landed for the evening. They sat around the evening fire without much to talk about. Though Yuffie seemed to think it was pretty funny that Denzel freaked out about his first time flying. Cid again failed to mention to the boy that the ship was on autopilot.

They were just cleaning up when Vincent heard an odd noise coming from the outer edge of a nearby forest. _…Monsters?_ He gripped his gun and moved a bit closer. As he listened for another sound, Yuffie looked up at him. Sensing that he was scanning for danger, she quietly walked up to the forest with him. Vincent looked around, and amid the dark shadows cast by the trees, several large pairs of glowing red eyes stared back. Yuffie spotted them shortly after Vincent and jumped a bit at the sight, but oddly, the monsters whose bodies were obscured by the surrounding foliage made no move to attack. They simply watched as warily as Yuffie and Vincent, as though awaiting something.

"Flashlight?" Vincent whispered. Yuffie wordlessly reached into a backpack for one and handed it to him. Clicking the light on, Vincent aimed the beam of light at the creature's eyes. Strangely the beasts' pupils did not constrict, nor did they react in anyway. Something about them seemed horribly wrong, even for monsters. Vincent looked closely at them, now illuminated and saw that many of them seemed pieced together from other creatures- one had reptilian legs but a body more like a large cat, while another had wings like a zemzelet and a humanoid face, making it look like the world's most horrifying angel. The only things holding the odd creatures together was stitching and the ethereal glow of mako.

"They aren't moving," Yuffie said.

"That's because they're awaiting orders. Look at the scars, what does that remind you of?"

"…Oh, they're like the Behemoths!"

"Keep it down."

"Sorry… what should we do?"

"We need to get out before one gets the order to at-" One of the monsters lunged at Vincent mid-word. It clamped it's fangs around his arm, thankfully his left, and bore down, oblivious that all it held in its mouth was metal. Yuffie ran back, flinging stars and casting spells at the approaching creatures. "Warn the others," Vincent shouted, trying to get a clear shot at the monster's head. Yuffie nodded and ran back, alerting everyone of the present danger. Vincent finally took a shot at the creature, and it soundlessly fell to the ground, only for another to charge towards Vincent.

The creatures were surprisingly weak, though, as Tifa, Denzel, and Estu quickly found out. They, along with Vincent and Yuffie, beat the monsters down in little time. "That was bizarre," Tifa muttered, shaking her wrist.

"…So who gave the order to attack, Vinnie?" Yuffie asked.

"That might be a problem," Vincent said quietly, looking out towards the forest as several Deepground Stratus troops moved towards them.

"Oh no…" Tifa said, "Denzel, go back on the ship with Cid and Marlene, okay?"

"But I don't-"

"Go on the ship. Cid's hurt, I need you to keep them safe." Denzel nodded and ran back, leaving Tifa, Vincent, Yuffie, and Estu behind. Popping her knuckles Tifa ran forward, first to attack the incoming enemies, the others quickly followed and Vincent shot at several of the foes from a distance. One of them, wielding a sword, ran through the front lines and slashed at him, Vincent parried with his claw, staring the Stratus soldier down. _Same one as yesterday… Weiss must have had the idea to leave what was left of his forces here to ambush us. _

The soldier swung his sword at Vincent who blocked the attack again, and shot at the soldier, though the bullets missed. The opposing soldier was faster and stronger than the others, it seemed, and Vincent struggled against his attacks. He again stabbed forward with the sword, but this time, Vincent side stepped the blade, moving away. He readied Cerberus and had a clear shot, but was caught off guard by one of the soldiers behind him. They swung a large club, cracking him over the head. Vincent saw stars and collapsed to the ground. A manic laughter was the last thing he heard as he blacked out.

* * *

><p>Estu fought against several of the enemies, but the battle seemed hopeless. Four people against so many… He ducked beneath a few attacks, trying to escape from the fray of battle when he saw Vincent fall as a soldier clubbed him over the head. <em>Vincent! <em>He panicked for a moment, before remembering the man's ability to heal. _He'll be fine_, Estu thought , blocking another attack. Just as he was about to talke his eyes away, Vincent's body convulsed, twitching oddly. A swirl of dark energy appeared around him as his form shifted and changed. "What the hell?" Estu asked out loud. The normal Deepground troops paused as well, though the surrounding Stratus soldiers went on, oblivious to what was going on. Estu stabbed one with his knife while watching Vincent stand, a mask obscuring his face now.

"Hahaha!" Vincent laughed, revving a chainsaw. _Where did that come from?_ He barely had time to react as Vincent mowed through enemies. A Deepground soldier barely blocked with a sword before retreating. Estu stood, a bit confused as Vincent ran towards him. _…Oh crap!_ Estu blocked the attack with his sword, staring up at Vincent's eyes, but they weren't his normal shade of crimson, rather they were a bright and eerily glowing yellow.

"What are you doing! ?" Estu shouted, holding back the chainsaw. Another laugh… if it could even be called that, it hardly sounded human, was his only response. Estu ran back away from him, through the surrounding soldiers to where Yuffie and Tifa fought against the enemies. "Vincent's gone crazy!" he said. Yuffie looked up at where he stood, slashing at anything and everything with the chainsaw he held.

"Hellmasker," she muttered, taking a step back.

"What?"

"C'mon, we need to get back, he'll take care of this, just don't go near him."

"What's wrong with him?" Estu asked, slashing at one of the monsters that had escaped from the first attack. Yuffie just shook her head as she ran back towards the ship. Estu and Tifa followed, looking back at Hellmasker how slashed through what remained of the Deepground forces. "What… is he?" Estu asked, staring at the demon. A mad cackle split the air before Hellmasker fell, another strange energy obscuring their view of him as Vincent reappeared.

* * *

><p>Vincent cracked an eye open, looking around. The grass was soaked in blood, and as he sat up, he saw that his clothes were as well. <em>Oh god…<em> He weakly looked around at the surrounding carnage, vision blurry. The metallic smell of blood hit him and he tried moving away, but bodies surrounded him, and he could barely move. "Vinnie!" Yuffie called, running towards him. He felt another tremor in his left arm.

"Yuffie, stay away." His body convulsed again, and he fell to the ground, curling up. **Hello, Vincent. Miss me?** _No, don't…_ "Ack!" He held his head, and looked around. Yuffie stood back a bit.

"Vinnie?"

"St- Stay away," he stammered. **She'll be first.** **You always said she annoyed you, didn't you? It's been so long since I was free.** He felt the transformation starting, though he struggled against it. Shutting his eyes tight, he tried fighting Chaos's control of him, and was losing. **Give up, Valentine. Why do you even care? You've already lost control once… I don't see that little runt you care about anywhere. Did Hellmasker kill her? Wouldn't that be a shame? **Pain shot through his body as it started. _No… no I can't… __**G**__i_**ve**_ u_**p ****V**_a_**l**_**e**__nti__**n**_**e**_**. **_His own thoughts melded with Chaos's, until he couldn't distinguish them. Yuffie walked closer as he felt his arm start to lash towards her. In a last ditch effort, he rolled on top of his left arm, trying again to fight against Chaos. **Give up. I win.** Vincent cried out in pain as his body changed. He couldn't move, couldn't do anything. Chaos stood, and Yuffie looked up at him. Biting her lip, she pulled out the Proto-materia shard, and held it towards the demon.

"Back down, Chaos!" she yelled. _Yuffie, no! Don't be an idiot, run!_ He and Chaos stared at the broken shard, and he laughed, a horrible nightmarish sound. "Let Vincent go!" she said, holding the shard up again, this time, a very faint glow escaped from the shard. Chaos took a step back. "Let him go!" she said, shoving the shard into him like a knife. Chaos fell as she withdrew it. Vincent inwardly cringed as well. He felt his body change back, as he rested on the ground, exhausted from the inward struggle.

"Y-Yuffie?" he asked, eyes still shut.

"Are you okay now?"

"I… think. …Thank you." He tried sitting up, but couldn't.

"Vincent, you're still bleeding. Why isn't it stopping?" Tifa asked, peering over at the wound on his chest.

"I'm bleeding… that's weird…" His mind felt hazy and disconnected from the present.

"We need to get him back to the ship," Tifa said, putting his arm over her shoulder.

"Yeah, okay," Yuffie said doing the same.

"…Yuffie… I'm sorry… did I-?"

"Don't talk now Vinnie. It'll be okay," but she didn't sound too sure.

"I'm not… I'm …" Nothing seemed right, the world was moving too slowly, then too quickly.

"What happened just now?" Estu asked. The others ignored him, carrying Vincent onto the ship.

"Is Uncle Vincent okay?" Marlene asked worriedly. _She's not dead… she's okay… Yuffie's okay, Tifa's okay…_

"Holy #$%^! What happened?" …_Cid's okay._

"Where… are we? …Why's every...thing a funny color?" He looked around the airship, trying to get his bearings. "…Am …I dead?"

"Quit talking," Yuffie muttered. They set him down on a bed, Tifa unbuttoned his shirt to look at the wound. "It's not healing. What do we do?" Yuffie asked.

"I need a sterilized needle and thread, Marlene, go get me that. Cid, two potions, quickly. Yuffie, can you cast restore on him?" She nodded, casting with her shuriken, without result. "…Vincent, has this ever happened before?"

"This…? I don't… I'm… sorry…"

"He's not making sense…"

"Really? Didn't notice," Yuffie said. Tifa took the needle and thread from Marlene and stitched the wound. Cid poured one of the potions on when it was stitched, and it seemed to help, though Vincent barely noticed.

"We need to keep goin' before they come back," Cid said, looking out a window.

"Alright," Tifa said. "C'mon, Yuffie, give him some space."

"…Okay, Yuffie said, standing. Vincent reached out and gripped her arm.

"D- don't. Don't leave me," he said weakly.

"I won't," she replied, sitting next to him.

Everyone else left the room, except Yuffie, holding Vincent's hand in her own. He took an uneasy breath as he shut his eyes again, falling asleep almost instantly.

* * *

><p>"Marlene, what happened?" Estu asked, back in the other bunkroom. They had been told to go to sleep, they'd be flying through the night to make sure they weren't followed. Denzel was helping to pilot the ship, but Estu couldn't sleep up in the air, and Marlene stayed up, still worried.<p>

"…Vincent's hurt?" she said uncertainly.

"But… he turned into that… thing. What was that?"

"Tifa said it was Chaos… He told me once that that was his imaginary friend… except not a friend… and not imaginary either, apparently."

"But… he just… turned into it. What…?"

"That's something he does sometimes. I've only seen it happen once. He turned into this weird purple monster… I was with Cloud and my Daddy… they just told me not to go near him when he's like that. That was… three years ago, I think."

"Weren't you scared?" Estu asked.

"Yes."

"But… you're so… attached to him."

"I'm not afraid of him, just those other things," she said. "I think they're kinda… I dunno, but Vincent's still Vincent."

"But… why does it happen?"

"He doesn't like to talk about it," Marlene said.

"…He's more messed up than I am, isn't he?" Estu asked after a slight pause.

"You're not messed up…" she said sleepily. "You're just you, that's all…"

"But …what if I'm not?"

"Not what?"

"…Not me… or at least not what I think I am… not…" _…Not…human… not my own person… not Estu, but someone else… him. A copy… a number… an experiment..._

Marlene yawned and laid down. "I'm tired… nothing you're saying makes sense."

"Sorry… we get to Nibelheim tomorrow, you know."

"Yeah," she replied. "…Do you really have to leave?"

"Yes."

"Okay… but will you at least stay with us while we're there?"

"…We'll see. Good night, Marlene."

"Night…" she replied tiredly. Estu stared at the empty bunk above him, nervously waiting for the next day.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Okay, so the reason why this took a week to write, instead of the 2-4 days it normally takes - I was basically really busy. Mostly with Freshman orientation, which was two days of my life I'll never get back... okay, it wasn't actually that bad, but it was incredibly awkward being around so many people I don't know. Stood in the corner like the quiet kid I am... semi-convinced myself that I was being very Vincent-ish (and not just a socially awkward loser)... though admittedly, not as cool looking... And everything on campus is uphill both ways. How that's even possible, I don't know. So yeah, that's basically why I didn't have much time to work on this. Sorry about the slight wait.**


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: So, once again, I need to take a break from the main narrative and check on everyone else in the world. Yes, we've got another perspective switch chapter. (Aw, why?) Because the plot said so, that's why. …Yeah. Anyway, because this takes place over the course of a few days and features several characters – canon, oc, and canon-ish - names and dates will be at the top of each section. (But what happens to Vincent?) Next chapter will be back to normal, it'll be okay. Anyway, on to the chapter.**

* * *

><p><strong>Ami – October 11<strong>

"Fine. I don't need you anyway," Estu said, gathering his things and walking towards the door. _Crap, don't leave again, stupid!_

"No, Estu-" Ami began.

"What? If you can't help me, then what good are you? You're worthless, do you know that?"

"You don't… You don't really think that… I'm not worthless…" she stammered.

"Actually you are. Ever think there was a reason your dad always spent more time with me?" Estu asked. "He cared more about me than you."

"Shut up! No he didn't!" She was a bit shocked that Estu would go there.

"More than his own daughter, his own flesh and blood-" Estu taunted.

"No! Stop. He loved me! He did!" she said, voice a bit hysterical.

"Right," Estu said, reaching for the doorknob. "You can just keep saying that – alone. Goodbye Ami."

"Fine!" she yelled as Estu left. "Good riddance."

The door slammed shut. Ami let out a small choked sob when she was sure she couldn't be heard. _I'm not worthless, damn it! …Am I?_ She sat down, holding her head in her hands. _I'm not worthless…_ But the nagging feeling that she'd never done anything important got to her again. _I don't need validation. I'm awesome…really_… She closed her eyes, feeling tears drip down her cheeks.

_Pull yourself together, are you really going to let him push you around? He's changed… he never acted that way… no, that isn't true, he would if he was really desperate_. She stood back up, twirling her hair. _Why's this Nibelheim thing so important? _"He'll be back," she muttered. She moved around the apartment, picking up the plates from breakfast, folding the blanket she'd given Estu. "He'll be back in just a minute…" A minute passed, then another, then another… half an hour went by, but nothing. _Well crap… Stupid kid._

_Fine… guess I'll have to go look for him. _She adjusted the holsters on her belt and quickly braided her hair back. Opening the door, she squinted in the bright midday sunlight. Ami walked down the many flights of stairs, looking around for a sign of him. _Where would he run off to? He hated this city… _

A loud bang caught her attention. "Huh?" Down the street, it looked like a fight was breaking out between a few people in a neighboring apartment and helmeted soldiers wielding swords and guns. _Deepground! What are they doing here?_ Ami took a step back, then turned around running away from the fight. _Worthless coward… No. No, I'm not._ She ran back to the base of her stairs, only to be stopped by a gun wielding soldier. "Ah!" She stepped back again, looking up at him.

She hesitated for a moment, then drew the two guns on her belt. "Back off," she said in her most commanding voice.

"You've never used those on a person, have you? You aren't going to now."

"I… I will. Don't push me!" Her hands shook as she held up the guns. "Get out of my way. I need to…"

"To what?" Ami swallowed. "You're under arrest. Put the guns away and come with me," the soldier said.

"No."

"No?" he asked.

"I mean… Sorry." She put the guns back into the holsters and followed, along with several of the subdued rioters.

* * *

><p><strong>Tony - October 11<strong>

"You're really alive?" Tony's friend, Walter asked. He looked nervous, even though Tony had assured him that he was all right. Made sense, Tony supposed. After all, Tony was one of Walter's only friends. He was a different breed from his father and older brother, both strong and capable police officers. Walter was quiet, small, and an asthmatic. He and Tony bonded through their shared intelligence and incompetence in the physical side of life. "So, what even happened?" he asked.

"Well, I got taken up to the skyscraper, interviewed, got a sweet jacket, and they let me go," Tony said casually.

"That's it?"

"That's it."

"_He's talking to someone in the Walker household… that important?"_

"_No. Just keep listening."_

Tony smoothed his hair over his ear, concealing the small speaker he'd found. Walter was still amazed at his friend's luck.

"You… how? I thought for sure you'd…"

"Ah, you know me. I can talk my way out of anything."

"Well that's the truth, but holy crap! That's freaking crazy…"

"Yeah," Tony muttered, hanging up the bright green jacket. "C'mon, I wanted to borrow your game system."

"Seriously? Is that all I'm good for? Your tech guy?"

"Yeah, pretty much," he said, climbing up stairs. Walter sighed and followed, though the second he entered his room, Tony slammed the door shut. "I need your help."

"…What?" Walter asked, a bit surprised at Tony's sudden change in demeanor.

"They're spying on me. That stupid jacket has a bug; they heard every word I said back there."

"…A bug, but … Ah! Why did you come here, then?"

"Because I need your help," Tony stated again. "Something got messed up, and I have a speaker for one of the bugs at the skyscraper." He moved his hair back, showing the speaker in his ear. "So, I can hear a lot of what they're saying."

"That's … great?" Walter said, a bit uncertainly.

"It_ is_ great. And this is how me and you will fight them."

"What? But… what do you have in mind?"

"You're always playing with radios and computers and crap. I want you to put me on air so I can rally people against them. I'll be spying on them while they think they're tracking me. Can that be done?"

"You want to be some sort of instigator? …Figures, you always like stirring up trouble."

"It's fun to watch people fight. Just think of it as a game, and I'll be playing everyone. So can that be done?"

Walter tapped a finger to his chin, thinking about it. "Well, I have equipment here, but they could track the frequency right back to me, which would be problematic, to say the least. There is an old abandoned station near the edge of the city. It was equipped with the same radios that Shinra would use to override everything else. You'd be heard, that would be certain… This is all hypothetical, though, right? I mean… you don't actually…"

"I'm going through with this. I'm bored and this will be fun."

"You have a really twisted view of 'fun.' You know that, right?"

"Yeah, yeah. So when can we go?"

"Um…" Walter said. "I don't really…"

"Come on, haven't you ever wanted to be a hero? This could really help the world." Tony knew from experience that Walter had a good heart, deep down. He wanted to do good, though he was often unable to. While many considered having a strong sense of morals a positive quality, it made Walter easy to manipulate. Like putty in Tony's hands.

"I… this could really make a difference, you think?"

"Absolutely, you could really help people. You'd be a hero," Tony lied, while smiling in encouragement.

"I'd be a hero?…But why do you care? You've always said that the world is a dump that you don't want to deal with," Walter pointed out.

"Like I said, I'm bored and this presents a challenge. So will you help?"

"Yeah, you know I will." _Yes. I did know you would. That's sort of the point._

"Thanks, you're a good friend, Walter," Tony said. Walter nodded, apparently unable to see through Tony's false sincerity. "So, do you think we can head over there?"

"Yeah, just let me grab a few things…" Walter gathered his laptop, inhaler, a notepad, and a few bits of radio gear that Tony didn't know much about.

"So, what's all that for?"

"Changing your voice so you don't get caught, and there's a lot of frequencies that I'll need to write down…"

"You do realize I could just remember them for you?" Tony asked.

"Excuse me, but I find your claims of having a perfect memory a bit hard to swallow."

"The day we met, March 31, five years ago 2:41 PM, you were wearing a grey Kalm Mog's sports team shirt and you were talking to someone who found your name ridiculous… Which it is, by the way, Walter Walker. Anyway, you were helping them with a book report on the history of the Shinra corporation and were reading page 147 of the President's memoir which read, 'On the day of my son's birth, it was raining. As I looked into the eyes of my heir…'"

"Stop. Do you know how annoying that is?" Walter asked.

"Yes, otherwise I wouldn't do it," Tony said.

"…Wow, alright asshole."

"Douche."

"Son of a bitch."

"Well I won't argue about that one. Though you have to admit, that speaks more on my mother's character than my own," Tony said. Walter rolled his eyes.

"Okay, let's just get going. I'm still taking the notepad."

"Of course… you know, I don't see the point of having an eidetic memory if I can't show it off."

"Because you don't already have a big enough ego? No thanks," Walter said, grabbing a jacket from his closet.

"There's nothing wrong with a healthy sense of self worth. Anyway, once we get down stairs, we'll need to talk about something other than this so they can't listen in. Bring your mini TV, too. We'll need to set our phones and my jacket near it, somewhere hidden, then we go on to the station. Sound good?"

"That way they won't realize we aren't there," Walter said, not missing a beat. "They'll hear the TV… clever. But why the phones?"

"They can track them. That way, they'll really think we're where we aren't."

"Nice," Walter said. "You've really though this through, huh?"

"Well, duh. You can't just wing a game this complex," Tony said. "Anyway, you lead the way there, alright?" Walter nodded as they walked down the stairs. Tony grabbed the garish green jacket and they walked out the door. "So what do you think will happen to Chocobo racing season?"

"Think they'll just go through with it?"

"Hope so…"

"_Hey, Mr. Azul, what will happen with Chocobo racing season?"_

"…_God, I'm surrounded by idiots…"_

"_Can you just ask Commander Argento?"_

"_I'll put it on my to-do list, now please do your job."_

"Your brother's such a TV hog…" Tony said.

"Sorry," Walter replied, setting the mini-TV up in a back alley.

"Have to watch out here … freaking ridiculous…"

"Sorry," he said again, putting his phone down.

"And it's freaking cold…" Tony grinned as they left the jacket and phones behind. As soon as they were out of earshot, he laughed. Walter raised an eyebrow. "They're so stupid, is all. This is too easy."

"Right… guards!" They two of them ducked behind a dumpster as they waited for the guard to pass. They made their way into the radio tower, and Tony paced as Walter set up the equipment. "So do you know what you're going to say?" Walter asked.

"Just a little introduction first, who I am, what I'm doing, stuff like that."

"Uh huh…" Walter nodded, stringing a few cords between his microphone and computer.

"What do you think of the name Zöld?"

"I think any child who got it would be unfortunate…"

"It means 'green.' I find it to be a wonderfully ironic pseudonym. Their stupid jacket is what allowed all this, anyway."

"That's… er… interesting?"

"Sure is. Are you about done there?" Tony asked.

"Almost… you know, you could learn how to do this sort of stuff, Mr. I never forget…"

"But then you wouldn't get to come along for the adventure!"

"Yeah, whatever… here, speak into the mic, we'll do a quick voice test."

"_This is Zöld, Voice of the free people of Junon…_" he said quickly. "Make it a bit lower and more distorted. I want to sound badass."

"Badass it is…" Walter said, adjusting. "Alright, whenever you're ready, we can go."

Tony adjusted the mic and cued Walter to start recording. "_This is Zöld, Voice of the free people of Junon, here to bring you the info you need to fight these invaders. I'll be bringing you news updates that they're keeping from you, and top secret info on the inner workings of Deepground. My first official news bulletin will be later today, so remember to keep your radio on. Stay safe and spread the word. Zöld out._" Walter cut the recording, giving a thumbs up. Tony held a hand to his ear, awaiting a response.

"_Did you guys just hear the radio?"_

"_Why, what happened?"_

"_This guy just got on, saying he's the voice of… I dunno, but he…"_

"_Did you really feel the need to inform me of some fool on the radio?"_ Zul asked.

"_Well… he said he'd help fight us, so…"_

"_Trace the signal and go collect him,"_ Zul said, calmly.

"_That's just the thing though, untraceable."_

"…_Oh. Well… Keep listening here, I need to speak with Shelke and Argento."_

"And success," Tony said, smirking.

* * *

><p><strong>Ami – October 12<strong>

She sat in a jail cell all night while they cleared her of the charges of resisting arrest. From what she could hear, a battle had raged outside… guns, monstrous men, helicopters… And she feared the worst. _How could I have been such a coward… what if they found him… hurt him…_ "Full name?" one of the Deepground officers asked.

"Ami Matsumoto," she said.

"Matsumoto… any relation to Takashi Matsumoto?"

"He was my father," Ami said. "Why?"

"Ah… I used to go drinking with him back when I started out as a security guard at Shinra… Good man… Maybe I can get you out of here."

"Really? But you're…"

"Yeah, the whole Deepground thing… Weiss promises a better world, you know. If you'd like to join…?"

"Hell no!" Ami said.

"…Sorry I asked. The modifications only hurt a little, you know. Anyway, from the report, it looked like you gave up without much of a fight…"

"I didn't do anything. Just because those guys in the other apartment were fighting." _I should've helped them. I should've done something._ Her shoulders slumped and she twirled her hair, a bit distractedly.

"In that case, let me just get clearance for your release. Sorry about all this."

"If you were sorry, you'd leave this city alone," Ami said as he stood.

"It's a necessary evil. Someday when Weiss rules us in a new utopia, you'll understand. For now, just keep your head down and do what you're told."

"You don't honestly believe he's the good guy, do you?" Ami asked. The officer didn't seem like such a horrible person at all. Maybe he'd see reason.

"It isn't as simple as good guys and bad guys. You should know that by your dad's line of work. Someone working for Shinra… that a good guy?" Ami said nothing, and the Deepground officer eventually left the room. She was escorted back to a holding cell. From what she'd gathered from others, there had been a bad battle over a few parts of the city. _Estu's probably dead… shit… if he is… No, it's not my fault. He's the one who left._ But even knowing this didn't help much. After an entire year not seeing him, she'd been shocked when he showed up again. _I told him not to call me his sister… The last thing I said was 'good riddance.' _ She felt guilty. Maybe if she'd done something different, things would be okay. But as things were, she had no idea where he was or if he was even alive.

After she got out of jail, she walked back to her apartment, passing the debris of the battle. She climbed the several flights of stairs, up to where her door was and unlocked it with the key underneath the door mat. "Estu?" she called out. No answer. She moved over to the TV, flipping it on, and the radio as well. Something like this was bound to get a mention on the news. She picked up her cellphone and sat on the couch, looking through the many missed calls of the last day. She dialed her boyfriend's number first.

"…Ami, that you?"

"Yes. Are you okay, Raye?"

"Fine, just fine. What happened to you? I called you a million times yesterday…"

"I um… got arrested."

"What? What did you do?"

"Nothing, really… I would've shown those assholes a thing or two, but I was out numbered, so I decided not to kick their butts. Not that it helped." False self confidence… it tended to get her through any situation…

"Wow" Raye said. He always bought her little act. "… They're saying for everyone to stay in their houses. Should I come over anyway?"

"No stay where you are. I don't want anyone else to get hurt…"

"…Anyone else? Who's hurt?"

"Nobody," she lied. "Anyway, I'll talk to you later, okay Raye?"

"Of course, sweetie pie. Bye."

"Bye," Ami said. She pressed the end button and called her boss.

"…Wutai wares?"

"Hey, Jessie, it's Ami. Sorry I missed work."

"Are you kidding? The city was attacked!"

"…Yeah. So I'm not fired then?"

"NO! Are you okay, I mean…"

"I'm fine."

"Okay, well the shop's going to be closed for at least the next few days, so just stay safe, all right?"

"Okay," she said, hanging up again. She waited, hoping there would just be a knock on the door… but still, nothing. _Please be alive_… Suddenly an odd bit of static played on the radio.

"_This is Zöld, voice of the free people of Junon. __Deepground troops still search for both AVALANCHE and the thief of a set of files supposedly containing information for everything from Doctor Weiss himself to Project S and later subset projects. Commander Argento describes said thief as 'Some stupid little shit wearing a lame-ass beanie hat.'" _

"Estu!" she said, grinning. _If they're looking for him, he has to be alive! That's… that's such a relief… Damn it Estu, you're alive so why the hell didn't you come back here?_ Ami frowned, looking at her front door. _Maybe he's here in the city… I'll have to look. _ She picked up her phone again and dialed Raye's number.

"Ami? Something wrong?"

"No… no, yes… I mean… I need your help, can you come over?"

"Um, sure… now?"

"Yes, please," she said.

"Okay, just give me a minute…" he hung up.

Ami took a deep breath, glancing over at a picture on her shelf of her father. He looked a lot like her, same eye shape, same general features. She'd seen pictures of her mother before, though she didn't see much of a resemblance, except in eye color. That was fine by her, she didn't want her dad to have to think about the wife he'd lost every time he saw his daughter. "I'm sorry if I let you down… I'll find him, I promise," she said, quietly. "If he was your favorite… well… I don't care. He's still my little brother… sort of." But the feeling of self doubt crept up on her again.

She walked back to her bedroom, and found two spare guns to replace the ones that had been confiscated. _Always be prepared_ – a lesson her dad had told her, time and time again. She'd never really know what to be prepared for, only realizing later that it probably had a lot to do with her lifestyle… always moving, ever since… There was a knock on the door. Ami quickly went to open it, letting a blonde young man enter. "So, what do you need help with Aims? Just lonely?"

"No, actually… do you remember that kid who was with me the day before yesterday?" she asked.

"Um… yeah, Jessie's slow cousin?"

"Yeah, but well, no. He's not actually her cousin, he's my… my brother. I'm sorry I never told you, but…" she took a breath. "He's missing. Can you help me look for him?"

"You have a slow brother? You could've told me. It's not like I would've judged him or anything-"

"He's not slow."

"Oh… er, what did you say? 'Unique?'"

"No, he's not…" she shook her head, "Never mind, I'm really sorry I lied. It's kinda complicated. But… he's been gone for a year and… I just… I promised I'd take care of him, but…"

"Ami, it'll be okay. Where do you want to start looking?"

"Just a sweep of the city, first. I'm kind of hoping he's still here, but… I dunno, Estu's always been a bit impulsive. He might have already left."

"…His name is 'Estu?' What sort of name is that? Is that Wutaian too?" Raye asked.

"…I don't really know. Huh… Well, it doesn't really matter now. Can we get going?"

"Yeah, let's go."

* * *

><p><strong>Argento – October 13<strong>

"I want that son of a bitch found. Now." Argento said. A nervous looking foot soldier shook in front of him.

"But, sir…" he said, "we have no clue who Zöld is… He's anonymous… I don't-"

"Get out of my face and work on it, then. Or would you like a trip through the LFT unit?" The soldier paled.

"No, please, no. I'll get right on it, your greatness." He quickly left the room as Argento cracked a smile. _Nothing like the groveling of my underlings to cheer me up_… He kicked his legs up on the desk in front of him and pressed the button on his Com device for Zul.

"…Argento?"

"Commander Argento," he corrected.

"Really? You do realize I'm not going to call you that."

"…Whatever, what's the progress on that file thief? Has Shelke found anything in the computer records?"

"She's working on it. It takes a while."

"How long? Isn't she supposed to be some sort of human supercomputer?"

"Yes, though I believe the term is Synaptic Net Diver. Anyway, it still takes a while. Be patient."

"Be patient," Argento mimicked.

"…Seriously? How old are you, twelve?"

"Twenty-five…"

"I'd never have guessed…" Zul said dryly.

"Yeah, well… Whatever… Can I borrow some gil? I need cash for lunch."

There was a long, static filled sound as Zul sighed. "Why me? Can't you borrow from your father for once?"

"I don't want to talk to him right now," Argento said.

"Fine… I'm upping my interest rate to fifty percent extra."

"Right. Later."

"…'Later,'" Zul answered stiffly.

_That guy really needs to lighten up. Stupid little Zul… thinks he's better than me. No one's better than me. _ Argento stood and walked out of the room, hoping to get a bit of action. Running a city, as it turned out, wasn't an ideal job. He wanted back onto the field of battle, longed for a bit of excitement. Otherwise, his swords would rust…

One of the guards ran past him, nearly knocking him over. "Hey, watch it!" Argento said.

"Oh, sorry sir!" the guard said, saluting.

"Where are you going, exactly?"

"There's a riot starting up, just a block from here."

"Hmm… I think I'll go, too then."

"…Sir? Are you sure?"

"Are you questioning me?" Argento asked.

"Er, no. Sorry." Argento rode the elevator down, and exited the skyscraper, along with the guard.

Argento smiled at the violent crowd. They shouted, pushing at barriers that the security team had set up, throwing eggs and other rotted items at the guards trying to keep them down. Argento casually tilted his head at them all, walked up to one man, and without a second thought, stabbed him with one of his swords. The man clutched at his chest as Argento drew the blade out. The crowd fell silent for a moment. "Anyone else?" Argento asked. _Give them a bit of fear, show them who's boss, that'll_- He was hit with an egg. Argento stared the crowd down as he wiped the yolk from his face. All was silent for a moment, then the crowd erupted back into yelling and they pushed at the barriers. He heard a shot from the crowd and took a step back.

"Kill them. Show no mercy," he told a few of the Deepground troops near him. They broke through the barriers, wielding metal pipes, rakes, really anything they could find that could be swung like a weapon. Though there was a shotgun wielding man somewhere, but really, they were no match for the Deepground forces. Argento spun and slashed at the crowd with both swords, laughing a bit as he did. _Stupid… so stupid, as though they could-_

"Stop!" Argento paused, looking into the eyes of a very small child. A little girl, curly red hair barely tamed by a bandana around her head. She held the body of an older woman… a mother, it looked like, body riddled with bullet holes. "Please stop…" she said, sobbing. Argento stared into her eyes, and looked downwards.

"Cease fire!" he called out. Those who were left of the rioters ran off as the troops fell back. Argento turned back towards the girl. "You know they did you a favor. All mothers… they die and they leave you alone in the world." She stared back, still teary eyed, not speaking. "Then you spend your life, just getting by… everyone hates you. It sucks. It really #$%^ing sucks. But you'll… you'll be stronger because of it. No one's left to take care of you, so you'll take care of yourself. And when no one cuts you a break…" he stopped and laughed again. "What am I doing? I need to look for that stupid Zöld guy… and that god damn thief. Well good luck to you, kid." The girl continued to cry as he turned and walked off.

He went back to his office and kicked his feet up. _Damn riots… what's the point anyway? What do they hope to accomplish? _After a few minutes, he sat back up, looking around for his Com device. Just as he was going to check up on Zul again, a voice came through his line. "ARGENTO!" _Oh, #$%^…_

"Yes, father?" he answered.

"Get in my office. Now."

"Yes, father…"

He stepped into the elevator, pressing the button for the top floor. He glanced sideways, spying Zul standing in the corner. "You get called to Weiss's office?" Zul asked.

"None of your business," Argento muttered.

"Well, you're going up top, so…"

"Then why the hell did you ask?"

"Oh, no reason…" Zul said. "By the way, here's the gil."

"…Oh, right. I'll pay you back."

"Yes, I know. You always do. Out of curiosity, can you just not stand being in debt, or what?"

"…Shut up."

The doors opened and the two walked out towards the desk set up in the middle of the room. "Sit." Weiss said, rubbing his head. Argento quickly sat in the chair in front of the desk, leaving Zul to go get another from in front of the computer. Zul saluted before taking his seat. Weiss sighed, looking annoyed. "I'm leaving Junon, which means you two will be in charge."

"Don't you mean I'll be in charge?" Argento asked.

"Theoretically…" Weiss said. "But after that little display I was just told about, I doubt you're levelheaded enough."

"Display?"

"You turned a simple protest into a massacre. Did you even stop to think about anything?" Argento opened his mouth to speak, but couldn't think of a defense. Weiss tapped his fingers across the desk. "Argento, sometimes you really are worthless…" …_Worthless? I'm not worthless…_

"I'm… sorry…" Argento said quietly.

"Can I count on you to do your job? I'm going to assume that that crowd would've turned violent even without your provocation, but you need to think about your actions and stop being such an idiot. If Nero-" _Please not this!_

"Yeah, if Nero was around everything would be great. But I'm not him! Sorry to disappoint you," Argento said, standing up. For perhaps the third time that he'd known the man, Zul looked a bit surprised at him. "Sorry the wrong son died. But I won this city for you, and I'll take care of it. What happened earlier was a fluke, that's all."

"Hmmph…Very well then," Weiss said, simply. "Now, Azul… how goes work on Project Stratus?"

"It looks like they're ready to go… why?" Zul asked.

"I'll need a few… Anyway, you two get out. I need to start getting everything together if I'm to leave tomorrow night."

"And… where are you going, sir?" Zul asked curiously.

"Is that your concern, Azul?"

"No…"

"Good, now get out." Zul and Argento both stood and walked back to the elevator.

"I think you managed to impress him…" Zul said quietly.

"What are you talking about? He thinks I'm a failure."

"Yes, but you stood up to him… That was a bit impressive… And here I was, thinking you were just an incompetent fool with a short temper and an inferiority complex."

"Oh, shut up!"

"I was giving you a compliment," Zul said. "Well, anyway Shelke may have found something on Zöld… but I'm not sure."

"Well… I'll just go to your office with you then. If we find him-"

"It won't change that much between you two," Zul pointed out.

Argento frowned, stepping out of the opening elevator doors. "…I will make him proud of me if it's the last thing I do," he asserted.

* * *

><p><strong>Ami – October 13<strong>

"…Raye?"

"Yeah?"

"…Where are we?"

"Uh…"

Ami sat up, looking around the alleyway. They had searched for Estu late into the last night, with no results. _We were taking a break… then… crap, I must have fallen asleep. _She stood, dusting her clothes off. "He's not here…" she said quietly. "I'm going to go check my apartment again. Thank you, Raye…"

"Don't worry about it," he said, hugging her. "He's bound to show up eventually." _Yeah, after another year. _

"You're right… I'm just going to go then."

"I'll walk you back."

He held her hand as they walked back to the apartment, the streets were clearer now, and it seemed as though the general populace was recovering from the attack. "Raye? I'm sorry I didn't tell you the truth. Are we still okay?"

"Of course. But… why didn't you? You said it's complicated…?"

"It is," she said. "I'm… well never mind." She looked up at her apartment building. "I'll see you later, okay?"

"Okay. Don't worry too much, alright?"

"…Alright. And I am really sorry." _Especially for what I'm about to do. _ She climbed the stairs and picked up her phone, dialing the number of an old friend.

"…Hey, it's Ami. Do you still have that old plane? …I need to get to Nibelheim, by tonight, if possible. …Yeah, I know you have to charge me for it. I've got enough saved up. Thank you. I'll be over in just a bit."

She walked back to her room, packing clothes and the emergency kit she kept, just in case she ever had to leave in a hurry. Some old habits die hard. Walking towards the door, she paused, and picked up the old photo of her father, taking it out of its frame and putting it in her suitcase. _I'll just have to beat him there. If he's not coming back… well, he had his heart set on Nibelheim. _She opened up the door, dragging luggage behind her as she walked away from her home.

* * *

><p><strong>Reno – October 13<strong>

"Would you get your friend out of here?"

"Uh…"

"C'mon, the guy's been here three days!"

"…Sorry…" Reno, in his half unconscious stupor, felt himself being moved away from the bar.

"Wazgoinon?" he asked. He opened a bleary eye looking around at the inn room. "…Rude?" A bucket of cold water was dumped over his head. Reno shivered, looking around for an explanation. Rude stood, holding an empty bucket and glaring at him… or at least, Reno though he was glaring. It was hard to tell through the sunglasses. "What the hell was that for?" Reno asked.

"…"

"Rude!"

"Stop yelling. I need you sober by tomorrow morning. Drink coffee, sleep, take a cold shower. I don't really care, just get your act together, Reno."

"…Huh?" _Did Rude just say all that? Have I been abducted by some sort of Rude lookalike? What are those things called? Dopplygansters? Something like that…_

"Reno, are you paying attention?"

"…Huh?" he asked again. Rude sighed.

"…Just get sober. No more drinking today, understand?"

"Who put you in charge?" Reno asked.

"I'm the third best of the Turks. Since Tseng is out of commission, and I've deemed you unfit to lead, I'm now in command of the entire Turk force. You would know that if you'd read your handbook."

"…What force? There's two of us. Two."

"…Yeah. I'm… hoping to change that though." Without another word, Rude left the room.

* * *

><p><strong>Argento – October 14<strong>

Argento tapped his foot impatiently as Weiss walked around the office with a clipboard, checking things off a list. "Why are you going to Cosmo Canyon?" he asked. "Me and Zul figured you'd just be heading back to Edge, but…"

"I'm going so that I can retrieve my Proto-materia, which I suspect AVALANCHE has already gotten for me."

"Proto-materia? That thing I was supposed to get from Reeve? But what's it even for?" Argento asked, moving in front of Weiss so the man would look at him. Weiss kept his eyes on the clipboard.

"I need it," Weiss said.

"…Okay… but why?"

"Does it matter?" he asked, flipping the page on his clipboard.

"…A little, yeah. Anyway, why don't I just go get it. I can actually fight."

"It isn't all about fighting… leave that for Rosso, she's the best of our elite forces," Weiss said. "You're okay, but the mako could only do so much..." _That isn't fair… I can fight just fine._ "Anyway, I don't need you screwing this up when you get blood thirsty. Need I remind you of yesterday?"

"No, but-"

"Good. Now please leave me alone."

"…Right. Sorry."

* * *

><p><strong>Tony - October 14<strong>

Tony walked into the bar, locking the door on his way in. He turned towards the counter, surprised to see a blonde girl and a teen with blue hair sitting at the bar. Zul turned back, smiling his fake smile. "Hello, Mr. Hopkins. Nice to see you again."

"Zul… Shelke… What are you two doing here?" Tony asked.

"Oh, I just needed to check back up on you on the whole thief thing. Any word from him, yet?"

"No, nothing."

"That's a pity… so how goes the radio business, then?"

"…I'm sorry, what are you talking about?"

"Zöld… It took a while, but I figured out that he was using police radios. Zöld… the name means green, a reference to the jackets, I'm guessing. Zöld… hello, nice to meet. You had fun while it lasted, didn't you? Watching all of us run around in a panic… but you failed to consider one thing - no one outsmarts me."

"…So now what, Zul?" Tony asked.

"Now, you come with us, quietly."

"And if I refuse?"

Zul's lips twitched and he turned towards Shelke. "Well, let's just say I've prepared for that."

"…The little girl?" Tony asked. Shelke's eyes narrowed again. She tapped two sabers together, creating an electric charge between them. "Oh…" Tony said, looking from one to the other. "Well then… ahem… I suppose you're right, I'll have to-" He turned, running out of the bar. He raced down the street, as quickly as he could… which wasn't very quickly at all. He heard a pair of feet behind him, sprinting. _Holy shit! She's fast! _Looking around for some sort of help, he noticed a playground nearby. A sprinkler system was on the other side. _Just have to get over there! _He ran, faster than he ever had in his life, but it wasn't fast enough. A jolt of electricity shot through him and he fell to the ground. Shelke stood back a bit, looking at him.

"Is… he … knocked… out?" Zul asked, panting for breath.

"Yes, I believe that Tony Hopkins in unconscious, Mr. Azul," Shelke replied.

"Good… Now-" Tony jumped up and ran again. "…Really? Go get him again, Shelke."

She nodded and ran towards him again. Tony turned, standing behind the sprinkler and waited. Please work… A blast of water burst from the system, just as Shelke stepped over it. He own weapon shocked her and she screamed, falling to the ground. "Shelke!" Zul said. "…Oh, shit." Tony walked towards the much smaller boy, brushing past him as he stood, hands over head, afraid of getting into a fight."

"Outsmarted you," he said quietly, before running to Walter's house. He pounded on the door, until Walter, mousy brown hair sticking up in five different directions, answered.

"I was trying to sleep in," he muttered.

"Get the stuff, we need to make a broadcast."

"Now?"

"Yes now! C'mon, we need to hurry."

"Well alright then," Walter said, going up stairs to gather the needed equipment. When he came back, he noticed something unusual. "Ah… Tony, you're still wearing the jacket."

"I know. It doesn't matter anymore. C'mon."

"Well okay…" Walter said, following. "Hey, slow down a bit!" He was having to jog to keep up with Tony's fast strides and was already out of breath.

"No, almost there!" Tony broke into a full sprint to reach the radio tower. Walter ran behind, gasping for breath when they entered. He took a puff from his inhaler as soon as the entered the elevator up.

"What's the hurry?" he asked. Tony gave no answer. Walter shrugged and started to get the equipment set up. "Okay…"

"Is this on? …Walter? This on?"

"Dude! Don't say my name on here, you're on!"

"Shit… ahem. This is Zöld…" He made the last announcement. Telling the world about the plan he'd overheard two hours before. Walter paled as he continued. "They found out where I am. This may be my last broadcast. So if you'll excuse me, I need to get the hell out of here… "

"What? They know?" Walter asked quietly.

"Stay safe and… don't give up. Zöld out," Tony finished, switching the mic off.

"Tony, they know?" Walter asked again.

"Yeah. We need to get going."

"…We?"

"You've been helping me," Tony said.

"…oh crap… Crap, I'm going to die."

"Hope not, let's go. Does your Dad still have that plane?"

"It… was his brother's. We can't just take it, besides I don't know how to fly," Walter said.

"Does your dad?"

"…Yes?" Walter said.

"Good. We'll all get out of here then. But we need to hurry."

"…I dragged my family into this mess…" Walter said, guiltily. "This is my fault…"

"Well, now's a good time to make amends," Tony said, though he knew that he was the one to blame. No sense in telling his friend that, though. After all, he would still need Walter to make his escape, and he might not help if he was angry with him.

* * *

><p><strong>Reno – October 14<strong>

The morning came, and Reno still had the world's worst headache. "Oww…#$%^. Rude?" The lights were on in the inn, and the brightness hurt his eyes. "Rude?"

"You better?" Rude asked.

"No."

"Too bad, come on," Rude said, pulling Reno onto his feet. Reno's stomach churned and he felt as though there were some savage insect monster buzzing around his skull. "…Sorry…"

"#$%^ing hangovers…" Reno muttered. "Where are we going, anyway?"

"Going to see an old friend."

"…Okay…" They walked out of the inn and down to one of the smaller houses in the village. Rude knocked on the door then stood next to Reno, waiting. The door opened and a woman with wavy brown hair poked her head out.

"…Hi, Reno," she said, smiling.

"…uh…"

"He's hungover still," Rude said.

"Figures, you want to come in, guys?"

"Wait… what?" Reno asked.

"Do you really not remember me?" the young woman asked.

"I'm actually surprised he didn't get alcohol poisoning…" Rude said.

"What's going on?" Reno asked again. He stared at her for a moment, then finally recognized the woman. "Wait a minute… Cissnei?"

"Took you long enough," she said.

"Whoa, Cissnei, I haven't seen you since… wow, I don't even know! The whole Zack Fair thing…"

Cissnei sighed. "Right, that. Well do you two want to come in?"

"So you've been here all along?" Reno asked, stepping in.

"Well, sort of… I lived over in Costa del Sol for a bit, but-"

They all stopped at the sound of Zöld's warning. "_List of cities : Correl, Gongaga, Cosmo Canyon_-"

"What? …Oh no."

"An attack…" Rude said quietly. "Well… um… Cissnei…"

"Yes?"

"…"

"Rude?" she asked.

"…"

"You want to fight against these guys and for me to rejoin you two?"

"…Thank you Cissnei…"

"No problem," she said, walking to a closet and pulling out a large shuriken. "Retirement was getting a bit dull, anyway."

* * *

><p><strong>Ami – October 14<strong>

"Thank you again…" she told the pilot. He nodded and took off again. It was very early in the morning, and she shivered a bit in the cold mountain air. _Enough money for about a week in the inn… I'll look for him this afternoon… but I probably beat him here. …I need to call Raye, too. Tell him I left… I guess I can say goodbye to any chance with him, now. I hope this is worth it._ She walked to the Nibelheim inn to get a bit of sleep after the night of flying. Ami unpacked a few of her things, but paused, looking at the picture of her father. _I really hope this is worth it…_

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Before anyone says anything, no not all the characters are supposed to be sympathetic. Especially Tony, who's really almost a borderline sociopath and very manipulative and immoral. And Argento is just plain unstable and ax crazy, but yeah. Anyway, the next chapter will be normal again.**


	24. Chapter 24

A head on his shoulder, fingers intertwined with his own – Vincent slept peacefully. A flash of unrelated images and memories, none of which could be strung together into anything meaningful, flickered before his eyes. Steady breathing, not his, provided a soothing rhythm as he rested. As the light slowly grew brighter in the room, he opened his eyes. "…Yuffie?" he whispered. She was fast asleep, her head resting on Vincent's shoulder. "Yuffie?" Still no response aside from the slight flicker of eyelids. "Yuffie," Vincent said again, somewhat louder.

"…Yeah?" she asked sleepily.

"Please get off of me."

She opened her eyes and looked up at him. "Oh…" She sat up, stretching. "Sorry. Are you feeling okay now, Vinnie?" He shrugged, sitting up. "Hey, careful not to rip your stitches."

"…Stitches?" Vincent asked, looking down at the wound on his chest. Sure enough, a series of stitches was holding it shut. Vincent's stomach turned at the sight. "Why do I have stitches?"

"You don't remember?" Yuffie asked. "…Wait, are you sleepwalking again? Or, sleeptalking, at least?" Vincent shook his head, though Yuffie gave him a scrutinizing look. "I don't believe you. Say something only the real Vinnie would say!"

"Stop calling me Vinnie."

"…Well that was good," Yuffie admitted. "But you sure you weren't thinking something a little nicer?"

"Like what, exactly?" he asked.

"I dunno. Maybe something like 'Don't leave me?'" _…I thought that was just a dream. Does that mean all that was real? Chaos… the proto-materia? _Vincent ran a finger across the stitches. "Careful with those!" Yuffie said. "You wouldn't heal yesterday. Everyone was worried." Vincent nodded, pushing his hair away from his eyes. It was all coming back to him - Hellmasker, Chaos, the Proto-materia, a lot of speaking gibberish on his end…

"You stabbed us with the Proto-materia. And it actually worked… You probably saved everyone."

Yuffie blushed, smiling. "Yeah, I just… you know, quick thinking and all that. But thanks, Vinnie, you're sweet." …_Oh no. Not this again_… "I'm sorry it ended up hurting you too, though." That was true, but as long as everyone else was okay, Vincent didn't care. Though he did worry about the extent of the injury. Quickly, before Yuffie could stop him, he pricked his arm with one of the talons of his gauntlet. "Geez, Vince! Don't do that!"

"Just testing," he said. They watched as the injury closed up in seconds. "I seem to be fine now."

"Looks like it… So about last night-" _Oh no…_

"You want to discuss my… request that you stay with me?" he asked, a bit cautiously. Yuffie nodded. Vincent looked away from her and continued. "The reason why I asked you not to leave… I just… I didn't trust myself to be alone after everything that happened." Yuffie frowned a bit. "You were closest to me… er, closest in terms of actual physical distance, I mean. I just needed someone, anyone, and you were standing right there. That's all. I was just concerned that something would happen."

"I don't think you could make that kind of decision. You were pretty out of it," she pointed out.

"Well, that's the reason why," he said. Yuffie pouted, looking at the door. "I'm sorry," Vincent added. "But… I wasn't really articulate enough to explain what I meant at the time. I… don't… mean to hurt your feelings, but-"

"But you're pretty good at that, aren't you Vincent?" She stood and walked towards the door. "I'll just get out of here then, since I obviously mean nothing to you."

"Yuffie… you do mean a lot to me, but-"

"Yeah, whatever," she said angrily. "I'll get Tifa to take another look your stitches. See you." She walked away, slamming the door on her way out of the room. Vincent sat still, perplexed over her behavior. It wasn't as though he was telling her she was an annoying nuisance, like he had a few years back. They had a pretty good friendship now, why wasn't that good enough? …_She'll get over it. I think._

* * *

><p><em>He stood on the platform, overlooking a plane. First mission, he thought. This was his chance, finally. His father pushed him forward a bit, as they walked down the stairs to meet the pilot. He was a young man, in his late teens, with mousy brown hair and a tall wiry build. Seeing the two, he ran a comb through his already meticulously neat hair. He grinned as he shook hands with the father. "Good to meet you, sir! Can't say how excited I was to take this job."<em>

"_Yes… Can't say how disappointed I was that the corporation couldn't provide a more experienced pilot." _

"_Oh… sorry." The young man stopped smiling, looking back at the black haired boy. He held out his hand to shake. "Ace Walker. Nice to meet you," he said._

"_Right," the boy said, ignoring Ace's outstretched arm._

"_Um… you going to introduce yourself?"_

"_No."_

"…_Well," Ace said awkwardly. "Should we just get going, then?"_

Estu (thankfully) opened his eyes before they got a chance to fly anywhere. He'd only managed to fall asleep briefly, still on board the airship. "Are we in Nibelheim yet?" he asked. He had dark circles under his eyes from the night mostly spent awake. Marlene had woken up, and looked out of the small porthole window.

"Not yet," she said. "But you should really see these mountains. They're beautiful. And really tall! I haven't been over here in forever."

"I'll see them when we're on the ground," Estu said, yawning. "Maybe I'll take a nap before I look for this address…"

"You really can't sleep up here?"

"Not well. Actually, it's a miracle that I'm doing as okay as I am. Guess I've just got a lot on my mind lately. I haven't even had any major issues with the airship, really."

"Well, except that time you fainted," she pointed out.

"I did not faint! I was… I was playing dead."

"Right."

"Really I don't see the point of all this air travel," he said. "What's wrong with boats? Or cars? You know, that's what WRO should've been working on, better roads for cars, connecting the cities."

"They worked on more important things," Marlene said defensively. "Anyway, why are you so scared of heights?"

"I'm not scared, I just don't like them."

"Uh-huh," she said, backing away from the window. "You know, you would be a lot happier if you could just be honest with yourself and other people."

"Thank you for that enlightenment, sensei Marlene," Estu said sarcastically.

"You're welcome."

* * *

><p>"So Yuffie said you're back to your old self," Tifa said, removing the stitches.<p>

Vincent just nodded, lying on his back, trying to ignore the tugging at the wound. The idea that she'd had to sew him up bothered him. Not really because it meant his power to heal was briefly lost, but the idea of needles… He could usually handle the gore of a battlefield, but anything that reminded him of hospitals or laboratories made him squeamish and nervous. The smells of potions and anesthetic, needles, syringes - they all brought back bad memories, even thirty four years after the fact.

"Just one more," Tifa said, getting the last thread. So far, it looked like the wound had closed up pretty well. "Sorry, about this… I just wasn't sure what else to do with you." Vincent nodded again. In his opinion, the only plus side to his abilities was that he didn't have to deal with injections or stitches, since he never got hurt or sick. But then again, if it hadn't been for the experiments, these things wouldn't bother him in the first place… it was a bit of a paradox, he supposed.

"All right, all done." Tifa said, throwing the thread away. Vincent examined the wound. It had healed almost completely, only leaving a faint scar behind. It had been a while since he'd gotten a scar, so it was strange, but he didn't mind it too much. Anyway, he had plenty of scars; one more wouldn't make a difference. "Okay… Cid was kind enough to donate a shirt, since yours got pretty torn up." She handed him the shirt, one of the only black ones that Cid owned. It was a nice touch, finding the color he normally wore. "I washed that coat too. Surprised that it's intact… But that's good, I'm sure Yuffie didn't want you messing up your birthday present."

"Right… wouldn't her mad at me," Vincent said.

"…Did you say something to her? She seemed upset."

"I… I think I gave her the wrong impression last night…"

"I don't know about that," Tifa said quietly.

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, nothing."

Vincent pulled the shirt on, careful to keep it from rubbing against his chest too much. The closed wound still stung a bit, even though it seemed healed. He buttoned the front one handed to avoid poking holes in it with his claw. "I'm sorry you had to go through all this trouble on my behalf," he said, standing up. The shirt was somehow both too large and too short in the sleeves, but it would do until they got to Nibelheim.

"Don't worry about it… It was scary, seeing you like that."

Vincent looked down, ashamed of himself. _I lost control… I could've killed them. Would have killed them if Yuffie hadn't acted. _"…I'm _really_ sorry. I'll keep a better hold on Chaos next time. I… hoped you would never see me in that… that state again…"

"No! That's not what I meant," Tifa said. "Well, I mean the whole transformation thing was… but I was just worried about you! I mean, you're always the only one who makes it out of battles just fine, so it was scary seeing you hurt."

"Oh… Well I think it was a one time thing. Thank you for helping me, though. I really can't thank you enough, especially after… I'm sorry."

"Vince, it wasn't your fault. Anyway, you would have done the same for any of us," Tifa said. _…Of course I would, but… _"Don't worry about it. Nothing happened."

"He was going to kill _all_ of you. Yuffie first. And I couldn't do anything about it. I couldn't move or even think. I was powerless and weak. I should've just left at Cosmo Canyon… I should have-" Tifa punched him in the shoulder, looking angry.

"Would you knock that off? If you hadn't been around, we would have died when they ambushed us anyway! If you hadn't heard those stupid monsters, what do you think would've happened to Cid and Marlene when they attacked?" _…Actually they probably would have both been fine. Cid wouldn't let his leg stop him from fighting, and Marlene might have been able to take them down, too. But Tifa doesn't know that…_ "Vince, I get that you're afraid, but you need to stop this. You getting away from us isn't going to help anyone, okay?"

"Okay…" he said, rubbing his shoulder.

"…Sorry. I shouldn't have punched you."

"It's fine."

"Look, what happened wasn't your fault and you know it," she said gently. "Everything is okay, that's all that matters. Don't worry about what could have happened." He nodded as Tifa stood up. "…You and Cloud… both of you are so bad at just letting things go. All this guilt is going to eat you alive, Vince. I mean, you've gotten a bit better, but… ever since Edge…"

"I don't think I'm the only one who feels guilty about what happened in Edge," Vincent said.

"I know…" She looked out the window as the airship came to a stop. "Nibelheim," she said quietly. "Guess we're here."

"…Is it strange being back?"

"Probably not any worse than it is for you."

"Right… We're going to have to take a look through the mansion, aren't we?" he asked.

"You better not go near that damn coffin."

"I wasn't going to, I promise," he said.

Vincent grabbed his coat and they walked outside where everyone else was gathered. Cid had landed the airship a short distance from the town to keep from attracting too much attention. "So, we're going to head over in two groups, staggered about fifteen minutes apart. …Hey, Vince, you better?" Vincent nodded. "Okay, well the first group… um, how bout Vince, Estu, Marlene, and Yuffie-"

"I don't want to go with him," Yuffie said.

"…Okay. That's … well I'll go in the first group then. So Yuffie, Tifa, and Denzel, you guys wait fifteen, and then follow us to town." He turned to Vincent, who was pulling a black glove over his left arm. "So, we'll just go ahead and go."

The four of them set off, Marlene still chatting with Estu, who, as usual, paid half attention to her. Cid was limping a little, but kept up with everyone pretty well. His leg had gotten a lot better in the two days since the attack. Restorative spells and potions were pretty useful. Vincent had to slow his pace from what was usual for him, so that they could all keep up.

"So," Cid started after they were a good distance away from everyone else, "you and Yuffie." Vincent stayed quiet, putting his hands into his coat pockets. "Y'all havin' a lover's quarrel?"

"No. That would suggest some sort of a relationship, when in fact, there is none."

"Poor thing," Cid said, laughing. "I told you you'd end up breakin' her heart."

"I did not break her heart. It's just stupid childish infatuation. She knows that it's not going anywhere," Vincent said.

"So it's like what you had goin' with Aerith? I mean you knew _that_ wasn't going anywhere…" Vincent popped the collar of his jacket up, trying to block Cid out. "Huh… you really _don't_ blush, do ya?"

"Shut up, Highwind."

"Why? Anyway, why're you embarrassed? It's not like it was a big secret. Hell, even Spiky knew, but you just never-"

"Cid?"

"Yeah?"

"Shut up."

"You know," Cid continued, "I don't really see why you don't give her a chance."

"We still have nothing in common, she's still too young for me… I mean, she's just a teenager."

"…No she isn't. Vince, it's been four years. She's twenty, twenty-one in November," Cid said.

"…Really? Huh… well, I'm still four decades older."

"Would you just pick an age already? You keep changin' it to whatever's best for you at the moment. Anyway, Aerith was only-"

"Shut up."

"Twenty-two," he finished. Vincent ignored him and quickened his pace a bit out of spite, making Cid struggle to keep up as they neared town.

* * *

><p>Estu looked around the buildings of the small mountain town. It had an odd feel to it, as though the buildings were both old and new at once. The mountainous backdrop made it look oddly peaceful, though something about it seemed wrong and it made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up… or maybe that was just the cold mountain air. He zipped his jacket up as he turned towards Marlene. "So this is Nibelheim… you know, it's weird, but I feel like I've been here."<p>

"Really?" Marlene asked.

"Yeah… almost like…" he looked around again.

"Estu?"

"Huh?" he looked up at the sound of another voice. A girl with braided black hair and grey eyes stared him down. It was quite possibly the last person he'd expected to see. "…Oh, crap! Ami?" She glared at Estu as she marched up to him. "Um, listen… I … What are you doing here?"

"What am I doing here? What am I _doing here_? !" she asked. "Obviously I'm looking for your sorry ass! Do you have any idea how worried I've been? You've been gone for almost a week! I thought you'd died, you little jerk!"

"I… I… um…" Estu stammered.

"Did you even think about anything before you left? You… arg! I can't believe you just up and left AGAIN!"

"I… I'm…"

"No. You don't just get to take off after you ran away for an entire freaking year! Do you know how freaking scared I was? You're just a freaking kid! Why do you feel the need to go off on your own? God! And you just stormed out, and I don't appreciate what you said either!"

"…Ami?" he said.

"What? What do you have to say for yourself?" she asked.

"I'm sorry…" he said quietly. "I was wrong. I shouldn't have said… I shouldn't have said any of what I did. It was stupid. I… I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have left… I shouldn't have… Can you forgive me? I'm so sorry…" His shoulders shook. So did his fists, and they were clenched so tightly that his nails dug into his palms. "I'm so sorry."

Ami's eyes softened. "Estu… are you… crying?" she asked. He touched a finger to his cheek… he hadn't even realized he'd started to tear up.

"I'm not crying. I don't cry. It's um…" he swallowed, trying to think of an excuse. "It's just allergies, I've never been here before, and Nibelheim just, um… Allergies. That's all. I-" He stopped short as Ami wrapped her arms around him. "Eep!"

"I'm sorry too. It's just… I was so worried. Of course I forgive you." She sniffed, hugging him tighter. Estu felt paralyzed for a moment, then tried to struggle away from her.

"No, don't!" he said. "Ami, Ami, let go."

"Huh?"

"Please let go!"

"Oh!" she released him, and Estu stood up, straightening his jacket. "Haha, I forgot you're all weird about that."

"I'm not weird," he said, looking up from his feet. Estu glanced behind him at Vincent, Cid, and Marlene, who all watched. _Please stop staring_… "Um… This is Ami," he said. _Oh… this is awkward_. "Ami, this is um… They kinda helped me get here. Vincent, Cid, and Marlene." _Oh, god, please help me…_

Ami smiled at the three. "Ami Matsumoto, nice to meet you all!" she said. …_Why is that so easy for her? It's not fair._

"Estu, this is your older sister?" Marlene asked.

"Um… s – sort of."

Marlene nodded, smiling. "I'm Marlene, Estu's friend."

"Friend? Aw, Estu! You have a friend?" Ami asked.

"Sort of... It's not a big deal," he said quietly.

"I don't know, that's a pretty big deal for_ you_," she said. Estu tried to keep a straight face, though wished he could just fall through the earth and disappear. _Please kill me now._ "Well it's very nice to meet you, Marlene."

"Right… Um… Can we talk alone, Ami?" Estu asked.

"Oh… Sure. If that's okay?" She looked up at Cid and Vincent. "I'm not really sure what's going on with him, but-"

"He was just tagging along, he can do whatever the hell he wants," Cid said. Ami nodded turned back to Estu.

"All right… I was staying at the inn over there. So-"

"That would be perfect. Let's go," he said, eager to get away from explaining anything to the others.

* * *

><p><em>That was strange<em>. Out of everything Vincent expected Estu to find in Nibelheim, his family wasn't on the list. Well, at least Cid seemed surprised enough by the turn of events that he'd forgotten to keep talking about Vincent's personal issues. "I didn't even know that kid had a sister," Cid said. "Actually, I don't know jack shit about that kid…"

"I think he was happier that way," Vincent said.

"All right, then. I guess we should go make sure Tifa's old house is still vacant." They walked over to the house, peering into windows. "Lower floor looks clear… a bit dusty. Can you see in the second floor windows?"

"Not tall enough… Here, Marlene, could you see if you climbed on my shoulders?" Vincent asked.

"Um, sure," she said, climbing up.

"The #$%^ing point of spacin' out when we got here was so we wouldn't make much of a scene," Cid said, staring at the two and their odd spying and balancing act.

"I think Estu messed that up," Marlene said, looking up at the window. "Stand on your tip-toes, I still can't see." Vincent tried stretching up taller, but it wasn't working too well. He took a step back, trying to get her to where she could see. "Um… there's a dog in there."

"A dog? Cute," Cid said boredly.

"It's kinda big… It's got these teeth and… Ah! It saw me! Get me down!"

"Marlene," Vincent protested as she leapt down, backing away. "Calm down, it's just a dog. We'll shoo it out."

"No, it's scary! Make it go away!" she said fearfully. Vincent rolled his eyes.

"I'll just go take care of it. Wait here with Cid." She immediately grabbed on to his coat sleeve. "Marlene, let go."

"Don't go in there! It's a big monster thing!"

"I think I can handle a big dog, Marlene," Vincent said, stepping into the old house.

He closed the door behind him, stirring up cloud of dust. He coughed a few times, looking around the first floor. No one seemed to be home, which was good. Tifa technically still owned the property, though when they had to use the home before, they had encountered squatters from time to time. His footsteps echoed through the house, sound amplified by the mostly bare walls. His coat swished behind him as he climbed the stairs. Sure to Marlene's words, a large pitch black dog rested in the room that was once Tifa's father's.

"Here boy," Vincent said quietly. The dog opened a crimson eye. It stood on large, thick legs, and bore its teeth. "Hm." Vincent cautiously drew his gun, staring the dog down. It growled at him, as a second and third head sprung from its shoulders, each one lolling its tongue and glaring with bright red eyes.

"…Ha." _A Cerberus! That's almost funny._ The beast lunged at him, trying to get at his throat, but Vincent quickly fired at it, catching it in the center scull with three bullets. It fell limply to the ground. _Well that was easy_, Vincent thought, walking away. As he climbed back down the stairs, he paused at an odd scratching sound. Turning back, he saw that the beast was standing back up. Its center head drooped down, while the other two snapped at each other, before turning their attention back to Vincent. Vincent held his gun back up, firing twice, hitting each of the secondary heads. _Probably should've seen that one coming._ He turned and again walked down the stairs, just as the central head opened a bloody eye.

Vincent opened the door, stepping outside. "Had to shoot the dog," he said.

"Good, it was scary!" Marlene said.

"That's a bit morbid for you," Cid said, looking down at the little girl. "Poor little dog."

"Actually, it was a Cerberus," Vincent said.

"…That's weird… why the hell are you smiling?"

"It's just amusing. You know, Cerberus?" he held up his gun. Cid stared blankly at him. "Well, I thought it was funny."

"Yeah, hilarious… Holy #$%^! Dog!"

Vincent turned back, coming face to face with the beast again. It lashed out with claws and teeth. Vincent jumped back, fired at the dog, and it again fell, but the other two heads each snapped at Cid and Marlene. Cid stumbled backwards, trying to escape the Cerberus's snapping jaws, while Marlene skillfully dodged it, tumbling out of its way and giving the dog a swift kick to its back leg… Not that it did much. Fighting lessons or not, Marlene was still too small to do any damage. Marlene and Cid each moved an opposite direction, leaving the Cerberus confused. Vincent took another two shots at its heads while they each struggled over control of the body. Just to be sure this time, he shot at the central head again.

"…So much for not making an entrance," Cid muttered. Vincent still tried not to smile at the absurdity of what just happened. "Would you stop laughing? It's not that #$%^ing funny."

"I'm not laughing," Vincent said seriously. "Why do you think a Cerberus was in Tifa's house?"

Cid looked over the body of the dog. "Looks like one of Weiss's things…" A shop keeper who was hiding behind the village's well walked over to them. "Uh…"

"You're AVALANCHE, aren't you?" she asked.

"No."

"Yes you are… Thank you for killing that thing, it was creeping me out… escaped here a few days ago. I won't tell anyone you're in town, don't worry."

"Oh… well thanks," Cid said. He turned back to the dog, which was dissolving away. A red glowing orb set at its center. Vincent picked it up, examining it.

"Summon materia…"

"Nice. You could give it to Yuffie. She'd probably forgive you if you did," Cid said.

"I think I'll just keep it," Vincent said, setting it into his gun. _Cerberus in Cerberus_… "…Ha."

"It's still not that funny," Cid said.

* * *

><p>"Ami… how did you even get here?" Estu asked, sitting on the floor of the inn room. He let Ami have the room's chair – an odd way of still trying to make amends.<p>

"I told you I knew someone who'd fly you. So… yeah, but I guess I should've figured you wouldn't do the whole heights thing."

"I actually flew here on an airship," Estu said.

"Yeah right! Like you would ever do that!"

"No, really! That was Cid Highwind the pilot."

"…But that would mean," she paused looking at him in amazement. "You're friends with AVALANCHE?"

"Well not 'friends' exactly…"

"Do you think I could get their autographs?" Ami wondered. Estu cleared his throat, trying to get her back on track. "Oh, right… so…" she sighed. "This is a little weird, huh?"

"Yeah… I'm sorry," he said, tapping his fingers on the floor.

"It's okay," she replied. Her eyes had gotten a bit watery, but she stopped and laughed. "I'm just so happy that you're all right!" she said sniffing.

She told him about the last week, how she'd left her home behind just to find him again. He told her of the days with AVALANCHE, the strange dreams, fighting Deepground and meeting Weiss… "I think your story's a little cooler…" she muttered.

"Well… a lot's happened."

"No kidding. I can't believe it's only been a week… Less than a week, really." They both looked up at the sound of a gunshot. "…Did you hear that?"

"It was probably nothing. So, now what are you going to do?" Estu asked.

"Um… keep you out of trouble? You're too young to be out here by yourself."

"Ami, I'm fourteen years old!"

She tilted her head a bit. "No you aren't."

"Yes I am!"

"No, you aren't. You were not ten when I met you. Seven or eight, maybe… but not ten, so you aren't fourteen," she said.

Estu knitted his eyebrows together for a moment. "…Oh… no I'm not, am I? …Funny, I sort of convinced myself I was…" he said.

"Well at least you didn't say you were twenty-four again," she teased.

Estu sighed. "You aren't going to ever let me live that down, are you?"

"Nope. But seriously… are you really going to go through with the whole file thing?"

He nodded. "I have to. But… will you go with me? I'm… I'm not sure what I'm going to find, but…" He sighed. "Ami… if Vincent was right…"

"No matter what happens, no matter what you find out, it won't change anything between us," she said, giving him an encouraging smile. "You'll always be… well you'll always be the kid I've known since I was barely fourteen myself."

"Thanks," Estu said. "I… I've been really nervous about the whole thing. Can we go now?"

"Now, now? I mean, I guess. You look exhausted, though."

"We flew all night," he yawned. "But… I still want to see what's at the address."

"Okay, well, let's get going," she said, grabbing a white hoodie from her suitcase. Estu stood up and started towards the door. "Um, Estu, wait. You've got a strand of hair showing."

"Huh?" he looked up, cross-eyed at it. "Oh, thanks for telling me." He moved it back under his hat. "I really need to cut my hair again. Just haven't had the time, lately."

"I've got a pair of scissors. I'll cut it for you later today."

"Ami, I can cut it myself," he protested.

"Then it'll be all crooked, stupid."

"So what? I wear a hat!"

"Oh… good point. I guess you have been taking care of yourself lately…" she said. Estu shrugged. "Quit that, it's annoying." _Funny, Marlene said the same thing…_

"You're annoying!" he said, smiling.

"You're more annoying," she laughed, playing along.

Estu picked up the files he'd set down and they set off to find the address. Across the street, Marlene and Denzel leaned against a fence while the adults cleared large puffs of dust out of the doors and windows of a house. "Ami, this is Denzel," Estu said, introducing her. Denzel lifted his goggles off his eyes and nodded. Ami, nodded back, not questioning Denzel's way of greeting people. "And in the house, there's Tifa and Yuffie… and I don't really want to do anymore introductions… I'm not really that close to either of them anyway."

"Well, I'll say 'hi' later. Anyway, nice meeting you, Denzel." He nodded again, as he talked with Marlene about some sort of dog. "So is he your friend, too?" Ami asked as they walked down the street.

"Um… not really," Estu answered. "We've fought together a few times, but that's about it. Really, I've mostly talked to Vincent and Marlene… Mostly cause I had nothing to lose by telling them things."

"Hm… Well I'm just glad you have _a_ friend. That's a big step up for you…"

"You didn't have to mention that in front of her though. She already thinks I'm weird," Estu said, examining the house number of the item shop. When he saw it wasn't what he was looking for, he moved on.

"I'm sorry, did I embarrass you?" she asked.

"No, I don't get embarrassed."

"Like you don't cry?"

"…Yes." _ Note to self, don't ever let her speak to Marlene long enough to exchange stories about me… _He kept walking until he got to the edge of town. "Did we run out of buildings? I haven't found it yet…" Ami looked over at the file cover, gesturing towards a path out of town.

"There's the manor, think that's it?"

"Manor?"

"I showed it to you on a TV program once," Ami said. "And it got a lot of mentions on the news after the meteor crisis."

"I don't remember that…"

"Figures."

"That's not my fault! You know my memory's crap," he pointed out. "I guess we should see if that's the address, though." He walked up a hill, through the town gates, towards the manor. It was a large and imposing, but rather dilapidated building. Years of neglect showed in its crumbling walls. For some reason, Estu mused that it was probably quite beautiful at one point. He looked from the building to the files. "This… is it."

"Think we should go in?" Ami asked. Estu nodded, gripping his sword. Carefully, he opened the front door and entered.

The inside was, if possible, worse than the outside - with peeling paint and missing floorboards in places, where ugly mosses and fungi took the chance to grow. There was the strangest of energies in the air. _ Mako… lots of it…_ said a very small part of his mind. He chalked the feeling up to a random guess. He'd never been around the stuff before, after all. Cobwebs gathered in every corner, and dust covered every surface. With each step, what was left of the old floorboards creaked ominously, and echoed through the quiet manor. "This place is creepy," he whispered. Even though they were, to the best of his knowledge, the only ones in there, it just didn't seem right to raise his voice above a whisper. Ami seemed to agree, only nodding her head as she looked around the foyer in silence.

Estu moved up a stairwell, though he couldn't explain why. Logic would tell him to be methodical, searching the lower levels first before moving on, but something pulled him towards the room on the right side of the second floor. Each step groaned, protesting under their weight as Estu and Ami walked up. As he entered the room on the right side, a chill went down his spine. "You okay?" Ami whispered. She seemed to notice his unease.

"It's nothing… I just… I swear I've been here. This very room."

"How's that possible? …Estu?"

"Yeah?"

"You aren't him. I knew you when all that meteor crap was happening." _But I don't really remember all that well… Just bits and pieces of the first few weeks. _

"…Right, but… I don't know." He looked up at a stone circular structure. Carefully, he pressed a switch, uncovering a spiral staircase. "Oh, more climbing. Wonderful."

"Just don't look down," Ami said, going first.

"I know that." But he looked down anyway, and immediately regretted it. They walked down the stairs for what felt like several floors, but it was hard to tell in the spiral. Estu kept worrying that one of the stairs would break, leaving him to plummet down, but nothing happened. He took a deep breath of relief as his feet touched stone again.

"There's… a door ahead. A library… I think," Estu said. He moved towards the door and opened it. Surely enough, he was surrounded by shelves of books. "I was right… crap, that's freaky."

"Where do we even start?" Ami wondered. "Can I see the files again?" Estu reached into his pocket and handed them to her. She looked at the front cover, examining a number beneath the address. "Did you see this?" she asked.

"Thought it was a zip code…"

"It's got one too many numbers, Estu." She looked around the room, spotting a few filing cabinets. "Those look promising… this one has the same number…" Estu walked over to it, looking at the cabinet. He reached towards it and tried to make it open.

"Locked…" he said.

"That's okay, here, take the files back." She handed the files over and took a bobby pin from her hair.

"Ami, this isn't a movie…" Estu muttered.

"I know, I learned how to do this a while back," she said, working the bobby pin into the key slot.

"How?" he asked worriedly.

"Well, there was this guy I dated before Raye…"

"…You've had two boyfriends?"

"You really don't have to sound so surprised…" she said. "Anyway, it wasn't serious. I broke up with him after ,like, two weeks. Turns out the 'rehabilitated_'_ part of his 'rehabilitated kleptomaniac' label didn't apply."

"Way to pick a winner…" Estu said.

"Oh shut up. He was cute, okay?"

"…Okay. I don't see what that has to do with anything though."

"You know, someday you'll fall head over heels over some girl, and all this teasing will bite you in the ass."

"I seriously doubt that. I have more important things to worry about."

"Yeah, uh-huh. Got it!" she said, sliding the drawer open. Estu looked over, tracing over the many folders with his finger.

"There's … so much…" he said.

"… Some is missing, look at this one on… Argento? As in the Junon guy? Well, it's empty."

"The ones that are empty… that must be what I have," Estu said. He was so nervous; his heart was racing as he looked between what he had and the folders in the cabinet. "So… what do I have?"

"Let's see," Ami said, flipping through the folders. "Weiss, Nero, Argento, Shelke, Azul, Rosso, Project S, Project G, Hojo, Hollander, Project S-2…"

"Wait, 'Project Estu?'"

"Yeah, S… oh…" Ami pulled the empty folder out, showing it to him. Estu stared at the two simple characters… just a number and letter…

"S-2… Sephiroth Two… Estu…" he whispered in disbelief. "…S-2…"


	25. Chapter 25

"S-2… all this time… my own name… Estu…" he whispered, sitting on the cold stone floor of the library. "I can't believe… I never even realized… but…" He shook his head, staring at the empty folder. "This whole time, I didn't realize…"

"Estu… are you going to be okay?" Ami asked. He didn't even seem to hear her. Just kept speaking under his breath, whispering his own name. Ami bit her lip, looking down at him. "Come on, we should get out of here," she said. Nothing seemed to register, he couldn't take his eyes off the file, but they seemed unfocused… his pupils constricted into narrow slits despite the dim light, giving him the bizarre otherworldly look that frightened Ami a little when she'd first seen him. "Estu?"

"…S… Sephiroth… no, maybe something else… no, nothing…I can't think of anything else… And Vincent even said I look just like him. … S-2… I'm… No, I don't want…"

"Snap out of it!" Ami yelled, her voice echoing through the otherwise silent manor.

"And the whole time… I didn't realize… I made up excuses… but the truth… S-2…"

"Estu, please!" He stayed silent, then kept whispering his name. Frustrated, she grabbed him by the shoulders. "Estu, snap out of it!" He blinked, then looked at her hands on his shoulders, then up to her grey eyes, wide with panic and concern. "Estu… please?" she said, voice shaking. He looked back down, eyes dim and glazed over.

"Don't touch me," he said, voice completely monotone. Ami shook her head and kept a firm grip on his shoulders. "Let go."

"No, please snap out of this. You're… you're scaring me."

"I'm scaring you? …Well that makes sense, now, doesn't it? …A lot makes sense…" He stared at the folder again. "A lot makes sense… Now please let go of me."' She shook her head again.

"Come on… sitting here in the dark isn't helping anything. We can talk about this back at the inn and-"

"But what's there to talk about?" he asked. "The fact that this thing I've been looking for all my life, my identity, was staring me in the face this whole time? The fact that I am exactly what I've been most afraid of? The fact that, once again, I have no clue what I'm supposed to do?" Estu laughed humorously. "I don't even know why I bother, really. What's the point?" He closed his eyes and turned his head away. Ami's grip on his shoulders tightened. " …You aren't letting go until I go with you, are you? …Fine then." Estu stood, still gripping the empty folder.

"…You left these," Ami said, picking up the coded files. He ignored her, tuning away. "Estu… it'll be okay, I promise." He said nothing, already starting towards the stairs. He could only think of the two characters as he climbed the spiral staircase_… S-2… just a letter and number… I'm just a letter and number_…

* * *

><p>"I hate cleaning," Denzel complained, dusting off the piano that Cid, Barret, Cloud, and Vincent had moved to the living room years before. "And can you stop that humming, Marlene?" Vincent glanced back at the two children as he set old dusted knickknacks back onto the living room shelves. Over the years, Tifa had brought most of the things in her house back to the Seventh Heaven, but some things, as she put it, just belonged back here. "Why do we even have to do this? Can't we just live in the airship while we're here?" Denzel asked.<p>

"We're staying a few days," Vincent said. "Anyway, this place is overdue for spring cleaning."

"It's October!"

"…Yes. I just said it was overdue."

Denzel groaned in annoyance as Marlene continued to hum a cheerful tune. The hours since they'd arrived that morning had gone by quickly as they all tried to get the house back into an inhabitable state. It had been a fairly standard cleaning, aside from the Cerberus incident. Though the fact that Yuffie was simultaneously making a point to not speak to or look at Vincent and making sure she was seen was starting to bug him. She stood next to him, averting her eyes before moving on to another task, purposefully brushing against him as she walked off. What she was hoping to accomplish by this, Vincent wasn't sure.

"I'm hungry… when's dinner?" Marlene asked, putting a rag back into the bucket she carried.

"Still a few hours from now. It's only 3:30, Marlene," Vincent pointed out.

"…But I'm hungry now."

"You can wait-"

"Vincent just doesn't understand because he's not a human being," Yuffie said, glaring at him.

"I'm… a human," Vincent said. "Could you please stop that, Yuffie? I did apologize."

"Funny, I thought I heard the call of the Vampiric Jerk-ass… It's a rare species you know, Marlene. Thankfully."

"…Really, Yuffie? You already acknowledged my presence. It's a bit late to pretend you can't hear me… or I can't hear you, for that matter." Yuffie continued to ignore him, washing off one of the back windows. "Would you feel better if I apologized again?" Vincent asked.

"…Ah, the Vampiric Jerk-ass calls once more. It should probably shut the hell up before its one predator, the Wutaian Awesome Hawk kills it." _She'll get over it. …I really hope so, anyway._

"I'm still hungry though," Marlene said.

"I'll take you to the market then," Vincent said, eager to get out of the house.

"What? How come Marlene gets a break? Do I get one?"

"Denzel, I don't care."

"That's because he doesn't care about anyone!" Vincent heard Yuffie say as he shut the front door.

He sighed, then turned back to Marlene. "Please don't get kidnapped this time."

"Um… okay. Why's Yuffie so mad at you?" Marlene asked, walking with Vincent to the town's center.

"She's just is," he replied. "…There probably aren't many fruit vendors this time of year, are there?"

"No… But I though she likes you? Why's she so mad? Isn't she glad you're okay now?"

"…It's complicated."

"You say that about everything," she complained looking around at the few vegetable stands. "I think we need to go to the grocery store. I don't wanna eat a squash. They're icky, don't you think?"

"Hm… I don't really remember what they taste like."

"Weird… So, now what's going to happen now that we're here?" she asked.

"Cid and Tifa are still working that out. They'll probably fill us in later."

"How come you don't do any of the leadery stuff, Vincent? You're important, aren't you?"

"I'm not much of a leader… Being in charge is only being important in one way. All of us are important… and if we had six different leaders, nothing would get done. Especially when Yuffie decides she's going to butt heads with me."

"Hmm… So how come Yuffie's mad again?"

"It's complicated… I already said that." But Marlene still looked at him curiously. "Basically…She wants one thing, I want another… does that make sense? It's been like that for a while now, though I wasn't aware of it, because she can't seem to communicate what she wants well and I'm … not good at listening either, I suppose. I'm a bit oblivious. And I accidentally implied I want the same thing as her, so she was upset when she learned otherwise. And now neither of us are happy, because neither of us have what we want."

"…What?"

"I did warn you," he said, turning away from the vegetable stand. "Just don't worry about it for now, okay? It's just grownup stuff."

"Okay… Grownups are silly, though," Marlene said. They stepped into the grocery store, looking at the shelves of snacks. "Can we still invite Estu to dinner?"

"I don't see why not. You and I could go over to the inn after this… though he may not want to spend any more time with us."

"…Why?"

"Because we were just a means to an end. He told you that."

"…You mean when he said that he was just there for the ride?" she asked.

"Yes. But we'll still see, regardless. Just don't get too disappointed."

"Okay… but we are friends… sort of. Can we invite his sister too? She seemed nice… except when she was yelling at him. I'd wondered what he wanted me to apologize for… But they seem okay now." Vincent nodded, picking up a pack of crackers for her. He paid for them and exited the store as Marlene trailed behind. "…I think we're friends anyway. How come he doesn't have any?"

"I'm not sure."

"How come?"

"I don't have all the answers, Marlene." Vincent opened the door of the house, to hear the end of what was probably a long stream of complaints about him from Yuffie. "…I really don't have all the answers…"

* * *

><p>Estu wordlessly slumped down on the floor of the inn, again staring at the empty folder. Ami hung her hoodie up, then, looking over at him, gave a slight smile. No response. "Estu… do you want to talk about this?"<p>

"No," he replied flatly, still holding the folder.

Ami frowned. "…Here, I think you should give that folder to me for now." She walked over to take it, and Estu made no move to stop her. He looked away at the wall, same uninterested dull look as before. His behavior was really starting to worry Ami. She didn't know what to say to him, what she _could_ say to him. "I… If you need anything …" she stammered. "Is there anything you want?"

"No."

"Do you need a hug?"

"No." Maybe she shouldn't have asked that… He tended to panic when someone touched him, anyway. But even that would be preferable to him doing nothing. She wished she could help him somehow.

"…Do you want me to do anything for you?" she asked.

"I want you to leave me alone."

Ami looked down, but nodded her head, grabbing her hoodie and walking towards the front door. "…I'll be back in about an hour, okay? …Estu?" He said nothing. "…Bye… Estu." Ami quietly opened the door and stepped out. He didn't even look at her. He didn't look at anything. He couldn't feel anything. Still leaning against the wall, Estu closed his eyes.

* * *

><p>Marlene and Vincent walked up to the Nibelheim inn. It was late in the afternoon, and Tifa needed to know whether or not Estu would accept Marlene's invitation to dinner. As they approached the inn, Vincent saw Estu's sister sitting on the front steps of the building, distractedly twirling her hair. "Hello," Marlene said. The young woman looked up at her.<p>

"Oh… hi," she replied quietly.

"Is Estu still in your room? I wanted to ask if he was still coming to dinner."

"He's … he's up there, but…" she trailed off, looking down.

"...Is something wrong?" Marlene asked.

"He…" Ami started, but she started crying. Marlene immediately pat her on the shoulder, trying to console her. Vincent hung back, looking at the two curiously.

"What's wrong? …Is he okay?" Marlene asked gently.

"I don't know. I don't know what to do…" Ami said, rubbing her eyes.

"What happened?" Vincent asked. Ami looked up at him, a bit surprised at him speaking.

"You're… you're Vincent, right? He mentioned he… he talked to you sometimes." Vincent nodded. "He told you that… there was something here he was looking for?"

"Yes… did he find it?"

Ami nodded and held out an empty folder. "Read the front out loud…" she said, "it'll make more sense…"

"Project S-2?" Vincent asked. "…Oh, I see… I imagine he's not taking this well?"

"It's like he's gone into shock," Ami said.

"He probably has… Tell me, did he really never realize that he looks the same as… well you know."

"…Right, you two know about all that," Ami said, taking the folder back. "He… I mentioned it to him a few times, but he'd just find weird reasons for why he looks the way he does. I think he spent a while looking through an old medical dictionary once, found a case study on people whose hair turned grey when they were young. He kinda ignored the fact that with all of them, it was still in their late teens. And… I don't know, he always sort of avoided his looks. When he was a kid he'd do this sort of double take every time he walked past a mirror… it was weird."

"Hm…If I may ask, do you know anything that you aren't telling him?"

She shook her head. "I wouldn't keep this sort of crap from him. I think my dad knew, but… I guess he was trying to protect Estu from this. He'd never tell me or him anything," she said bitterly. Vincent nodded thoughtfully. _Doesn't look like protecting him did much good._ "What do you think I should do?" Ami asked. "I know I barely know you but… I don't know how to help him. And I just found him again, but he… It's like he's gone again and I _don't know what to do_."

"I think for now… I'm not sure. He may just need a bit of time. Then again, he was fairly… averse to any implication that he had anything to do with Sephiroth at all."

"But… why's he like this? He's not upset, he's just… not doing anything. Like I said, it's like he's in shock."

"Any illusions Estu had about himself have been shattered… And I think he managed to build up quite a few illusions that he honestly believed. It might take a while before he's ready to accept any of this, so instead he's pretending it's not happening, closing himself off from the world…" Vincent said. _It's not so different from what I did… well except the guilt. Maybe he feels guilty, too, though, who knows… _"It's not all that surprising, really… he might just need time, but… if not…"

"…Then what?" Ami asked.

"…Come talk to me tomorrow if he hasn't improved any. I'll think it over…"

"Thank you… but why are you helping? Estu said he didn't really know why, because… he didn't really trust you, but didn't feel like he had much of a choice in asking you about himself. But why did you even bother?"

Vincent put his hands in his coat pockets. "In truth, I feel a bit… responsible for him."

"Why?"

"It's a very long story," Vincent said. "And not really one I'm comfortable sharing, if that's all right." Ami nodded as Marlene pat her shoulder again. "Come on, Marlene. We should go tell Tifa they aren't coming."

"But… I want to see him if he's sad," Marlene said, looking at the door of the inn. Vincent shook his head. Her seeing him would only worry the girl, it wouldn't help anyone. "But-"

"No buts," Vincent said. Marlene sighed and walked away from the inn with him.

* * *

><p><em>The airplane landed in Gongaga. The boy with black hair looked around at the surrounding jungle, squinting at the sunlight flickering through the trees. It was so… green. But so different from Midgar. Everything there was tinted a bit green, too, but it was such an artificial green. Mako green. They say that Mako was pure life energy made into fuel, but this… this seemed so much more lifelike than anything the boy had seen before.<em>

"_So, where you stayin' kid?" Ace asked, holding a suitcase for him._

"…_There's this empty house on the edge of the village. You were supposed to stay there too, so you could take me back, right?"_

"_Yeah. So what are you doing here?"_

"_I'm supposed to check up on the reactor near here. There's supposed to be some sort of monster infestation." He smiled at the thought. He loved a challenge. "This… this is going to be my chance to prove myself. Show I'm better than that other stupid kid they have…"_

"_D'you mean that Sephiroth guy? He's already a legend and he's only been doing Shinra's work for a few months."_

"_I know that! That's why I have to show that self-important jerk that I'm just as good."_

"_But why?" Ace asked._

"…_Because I do. Anyway, go put my stuff away. I need to go take care of this."_

"_Never thought I'd have some pipsqueak bossing me around," Ace muttered, picking up the boy's luggage._

"_I'm not a pipsqueak… I mean I'm thirteen years old."_

"_Gotta go apply for those senior discounts then, huh, gramps?"_

"…_That doesn't make sense. I'm far too young to be a grandfather."_

"_I was joking," the pilot said, completely exasperated. The boy blinked, a bit surprised._

"_Oh… I see. Sarcasm, right?" the boy asked. The pilot just stared at him._

"…_Are you even real?" Ace asked._

"_Yes… oh…. That was rhetorical, wasn't it? I'm sorry, I don't spend much time perfecting wordplay."_

"_Alright, I get it. You're weird as hell…"_

"…_You're weird as hell… that was a comeback, right?"_

"_Something like that. Weren't you going to get on this mission thing?" _

_The boy nodded, taking his short sword and walking down the path to the reactor. The jungle was thick and very warm. He didn't like warm weather much, he decided. Cutting down the monsters on the way there was a simple matter. They were all fairly weak, no match for him. As he neared the reactor, he heard a cry for help. He ran towards the voice as quickly as he could, and saw a small boy with spiky black hair and blue eyes cowering from a large mako mutated creature approaching him. The beast was enormous, with shaggy bright orange fur and large horns on its head. Just perfect, the boy thought excitedly. "Help!" the smaller boy shouted. He ran towards him, sword drawn ready to defend him from the beast. Then…_

_A flash of silver cut through the air. A katana wielding teen made short work of the monster, not even breaking a sweat or messing up his long silver hair. Sephiroth! Damn it, this was my fight! The boy clenched his fists, staring at his rival furiously. Sephiroth didn't seem to realize he was there. He turned to the small, spiky haired boy. "Are you okay?" he asked. The boy looked up, nodding happily._

"_You saved me! You're a hero! Thank you so much Mr. Sephiroth." _

_Sephiroth's lips quirked, "You don't have to call me 'Mr.' …erm…"_

"_Zack, Zack Fair," the boy said._

"_I see… Well be more careful, Zack Fair." _

"_I will, and thank you!" Zack said._

"_It was nothing," Sephiroth said modestly. It made the black haired boy feel sick._

"_No, it was great. I'll be a hero just like you someday!" Zack promised, heading back towards town._

"_You stole my kill," the black haired boy said angrily. Sephiroth looked up, inquisitively staring at him. "Don't look at me like that, you ass! This mission was mine!"_

"…_I'm sorry, who are you?"_

"_Who am I? We're rivals for crying out loud!"_

"_Oh, I didn't realize… Sorry about this then," Sephiroth said, walking away._

"_What? No! Come back here, I'm not done with you! …Damn it, don't ignore me!" Damn him! Arrogant self serving jerk! I hate him!_

_I hate him…_ Estu looked around the dark room, Ami's quiet breathing reminding him of what was going on. _I hate him… But_… Estu stood, walking towards the room's mirror. He took a deep breath, then stared at his reflection. The image of Sephiroth was still burned into his mind… and the new image of himself now stared back at him. _Same lips, same nose, same chin, same god damn eyes!_ The exact same person… just a few years younger. Estu turned away, staring at the wall again. He couldn't keep thinking about it. It just hurt… the very idea that he was… No. _No_. Estu closed his eyes again, letting his mind go blank.

* * *

><p>Vincent woke in the morning to a series of gunshots. He looked around at everyone else, they all slept soundly, apparently unable to hear them. Vincent rolled his eyes, annoyed at his own acute senses. He closed his eyes, but another six shots sounded through the air. <em>Great…<em> Vincent stood, walking towards the door. Whoever this was, they would pay. It had only been the second good sleep Vincent had gotten in weeks.

He followed the noise out of Nibelheim, down the dirt road leading out of town, walking for a good thirty minutes before he saw Ami, taking shots at a few tin cans she'd set up on a fence. Five hits, then one on the end that she shot at, missed, shot at again, missed… Vincent drew his own gun and shot at the last can as Ami reloaded the gun's magazine. She looked up in surprise. "What… what are you doing here?"

"You woke me up. Enough with the target practice."

"How the hell did I wake you up? I'm far enough out of town that no one can hear me."

"Well I heard you." Vincent said as Ami set up another six cans. She picked up her second gun, this one a revolver, and took aim, hitting all six in quick secession. "So stop… it's very early in the morning."

"…I'm sorry… just trying to let off some steam."

"It's a bit early for that," Vincent said, still annoyed with her.

"I know, but… I just couldn't sleep anymore. Estu was still staring off into space when I woke up," she said, reloading the revolver and setting it down. "I tried talking to him, but he just ignored me…"

"Hm."

"Did you have any ideas?"

"Well… I'm still thinking, can you tell me a bit more about him?"

"Like what?" she asked, setting up more cans.

"I don't know… has he ever done anything like this before?"

She shook her head and picked up the first gun, taking aim. "It's not like him at all. He's always been really easily bored. He can't stand not doing anything. That's what's got me so worried." She shot at the cans, hitting each one. "He's always been really… I don't know, goal-oriented, I guess? He needs something to focus on and work towards or he'll go crazy. And once he decides he's going to do something, he gets so obsessive about it." Vincent nodded, setting up another six cans for her. "He really can't let things go. It's ridiculous."

"We might be able to use that to get him moving again…" Vincent said quietly.

"What do you mean?" Ami asked.

"Right now, he wants to figure out who he is, correct? What he found yesterday was… well it was jarring enough to put a bump in front of him. But he still doesn't know the whole story, does he?"

"No… So you think if we tried to get him to keep looking, it'll help?"

"It might help, it might not. It might be beneficial, or it could just hurt him more in the long run. A lot of that depends on him. Which is why _you_ need to make this choice."

"Me?" she asked.

"You are his sister?"

"…Sort of, yes." Ami took aim at the cans, but sighed , setting her revolver down. "I just never thought I'd be the one responsible for him, though…"

"Do you care about him?" Vincent asked.

"Of course! I mean, I've always loved that little weirdo, even though I don't really always understand him. And… even though he _really_ pisses me off sometimes," she said, taking a shot at one of the cans. Vincent cringed at the noise. "But… I am worried about him…"

"Well, then this is something you have to decide."

Ami twirled her hair, thinking it over. "…I can't stand seeing him this way… but you said it could be worse for him in the long run? How could it be any worse than now?" Vincent said nothing, he wasn't quite sure either, but it probably wouldn't be pretty. "…I think… I think I need to do something. Otherwise… do you think it would be right? Knowing that this could hurt him more, but making him do it anyway?"

"Sometimes there isn't a right answer," Vincent said. "So is that what you want to do?" Ami slowly nodded, though she looked guilty. "Sometimes… Making someone do something they don't want to do… they may not like it. It may hurt them, but, well he can't just sit like this forever. Hiding, secluding himself from the world..."

"Well yeah, no one could hide forever."

"Of course not," Vincent said quickly, helping her pick up the old tin cans. "Where did you even get all these?"

"Went to the recycling center and asked nicely," she replied. "So… How do I even talk to him about this? 'Hey Estu, I know you're bummed about finding out you were probably a lab experiment, but you need to keep looking for answers?' I mean… this is really hard… You know a week ago, the only thing I was worried about was whether or not I could save up enough to get my boyfriend this new surfboard for our quarterversary?"

"…Quart-what?" Vincent asked, confused.

"Quarter anniversary. You look young enough to know what that is… Don't get out much?"

"You could say that," Vincent said, picking up the last can. "It must be nice, not having to worry about anything but the little stuff…"

"Well, I guess so, yeah… " Ami replied. "Except now I don't know what to do. I mean, even if this stupid quest thing gets him back to normal for now, what happens when he finds everything out, or he remembers? …What if he does remember now? I didn't even ask him…"

"I think he would mention if he did… Why can't he anyway? Do you know?"

Ami shook her head. "He just… can't. It's weird. And the first few weeks he was with us, he still kept forgetting things. I had to follow him around so much, just so he wouldn't worry if he forgot where he was, and I think I had to tell him my name, like, fifty times. No joke. And it was even worse with his own name. …It's funny, but even _he_ thought it sounded made up. Guess I know why now."

"May I go with you when you speak to him?"

"Oh, sure… I mean, you've helped him a lot already. …Do you know something about him you aren't telling me? You said you felt responsible for him."

"…It's not to do with him so much as Sephiroth… But, if anything about that comes up, I'll be sure to tell him."

"Okay… if you say so. Does that little girl want to talk to him? …He's never really had a friend before."

"I think for now we should leave Marlene out of this… I'm a bit surprised he thinks of her as a friend though… I guess he got over the blackmail aspect…"

"Blackmail?" she laughed. "That little girl? Blackmailed Estu?"

Vincent nodded, heading back towards town. "You'd be surprised… she's a clever kid, and not quite as sweet and defenseless as she looks."

"I'll keep that in mind," Ami said.

* * *

><p>Ami entered the inn room again. "Estu?" she asked, looking over at him. "Hey listen, we need to talk about something."<p>

"I don't want to," he said.

"Yes you do," Vincent said, stepping into the room. Estu looked up at him.

"What do you want?"

Vincent paused, as though thinking of an answer. "…For you to stop worrying Marlene. I told you if you ever hurt her, I would shoot you. I suggest you stop this."

"I don't care. Shoot me then."

"You're worrying your sister, too." Ami looked embarrassed, but nodded. Estu looked back away, ignoring both of them.

"So, is this it? You're giving up? You've never done that before," Ami said.

"I'm not giving up…"

"You look like it, curled up in a ball, pretending you don't exist…"

"…"

"Don't you care anymore? You got _an_ answer, but it's not the full story," she said. Estu still said nothing, looking away with a thousand yard stare. "So, that sounds a lot like giving up to me."

"I wanted to find out who I am. I did," Estu said.

"Really?" Vincent asked, stepping in. "So the reason why Weiss knows you? The dreams? The memories you lost? The number four? All that makes sense?"

"…No, but-"

"Then you hardly know. If I told you I was named for one of my father's old teachers and was born in Kalm, would that let you know my life story?"

"…Is any of that true?"

"That's not the point," Vincent said.

"Then why did you bring it up?" Estu asked.

"It was just an analogy, Estu," Ami said. "So now what? Aren't you going to keep going?"

"…I guess," he replied, standing up. _Even though I have no clue where to go now… But… there has to be something more… there just has to be._ Ami smiled at him, looking relieved. _I… worried her? I did, didn't I?_ "…Ami? I'm… I'm sorry…" She hugged him again. "…Stop."

"Sorry," she said. "It'll be okay. It really will."

"If you say so," he said, still a bit flatly. "But… I'm…" he looked down, still unsure what to feel. "You know this means I'm…" He couldn't even say it… he wished he could go back to the previous morning, blissful ignorance… No, then he'd still be unhappy, just in another way. _Maybe the universe hates me because I'm a monster… _"I'm…" he tried again.

"You're you… that's all that matters," Ami said. Estu looked up at her, and nodded, picking up the files and flipping through them.

"Somewhere in there… There's a whole section about me. I need to figure out how to decode it. That's what I need to do," he decided. "I wish I knew how to do that… I've got no clue what the password could be. So, I'm stuck…"

"…Cid's been recruiting people to fight Deepground… Would you and your sister be interested in that?" Vincent asked.

"Like I told Marlene, I don-"

"Heck yeah! Did you see what those jerks did to my home town? I'd give anything to fight them!" Ami said. Estu looked over at her, annoyed.

"Ami, we don't have time for that…"

"Well that's what I wanted to do," she said. "So what was your plan?"

"…Well… um…" he said awkwardly.

"You never think more than one step ahead, do you?" Vincent asked. "Well, I'm going to go tell Marlene you're not a zombie anymore…"

"You're a zombie," Estu said angrily.

"…Hm. Perhaps that insult isn't as ineffective as I thought."

"…Wait, what?" Estu asked, confused. Vincent said nothing, starting towards the door. "Hey, don't ignore me! …Stupid jerk…"

"Glad you're feeling better, Estu," Ami laughed. He smiled weakly. In truth he didn't feel better… he couldn't let himself feel anything. He just had to work through this, same as everything else in his life. _Just don't think about it too much… you'll be fine. You'll be fine…_

"I'm just going to go with him then, talk to Marlene a bit, okay?" Ami nodded. "Do you want to come? You could talk to Cid about joining the fight."

"Yeah, that sounds good. I'll teach those Deepground jerks a thing or two, they'll be terrified of me!"

"Right," _…I wish I could just be that confident in everything… everything's so uncertain now. All I know is… crap, I didn't want this… I never_… The question he'd searched for, the question he'd so carefully avoided… _Who am I? Is this really it? Is this all there is to my life?_

* * *

><p>"Thank you… I won't forget this," Ami said quietly, walking with Vincent and Estu back to Tifa's house. He nodded, though he wondered what lasting implications this ordeal would have on the two. They seemed mostly okay, and she was surprisingly supportive of Estu. <em>I wonder… does he know how lucky he is? He seems to feel alone, but she really cares about him, and has come so far, just to help him. <em>But then, Vincent had his little family as well. _Maybe I am lucky… Or at least, not as unlucky as I thought_. He opened the door and they reentered the house. Yuffie watched a bit warily as they all walked in.

"Who's this chick?"

"Estu's sister Ami," Vincent answered for her.

"…Beanie-Boy has a sister?"

"Don't call me that!" Estu protested.

Ami laughed. "Beanie-Boy?"

"Ami, it's not funny," Estu sulked.

"I don't know, it's pretty funny if you ask me."

Yuffie grinned, "See, Beanie-Boy, she actually has a sense of humor. Too bad it doesn't run in the family." Estu mumbled something about being adopted, then walked off to find Marlene and Denzel. "Such a sour grape, just like some other jerk!" Yuffie said, glaring at Vincent again.

"…Yuffie, you're one of the most important people in my life. You know that, right?" he asked.

She looked shocked. "Did you just… ? Aw, Vinnie! You are a human being after all!"

"…Thank you?" he said uncertainly, still uncomfortable with her feelings for him. …_She's going to get over it. She's going to get over it…_

"You're welcome," she said, smiling. Quickly, ninja-like, Vincent supposed, she stood hugged him before he could do anything. "Don't worry, I won't leave you," she teased. _She's not going to get over it._

_Oh well… Maybe I just need to get over it_… He walked over to the living room to see Estu and Marlene playing the old piano. He seemed fairly happy, working on recreating a tune Marlene had been humming all day. Getting his mind off the present was probably good for him… Just as Vincent needed to get his mind off of, well _everything_, really. He still felt guilty about the incident with Chaos… forgiving himself had always been an issue. _I'm helping him… but its for such a selfish reason… she shouldn't have thanked me. _

"No, I'm not playing the darn 'Chocobo Song'… quit bugging me about it," Estu complained. Marlene poked at his arm, knowing it annoyed him.

_Well… at least he'll be okay for now._

* * *

><p><strong>AN: A really character centric chapter... Really mostly about Estu, too... oh well. I really try to balance focus among all the characters, but after what happened in the last chapter, it was difficult. **


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: There's a flash back sequence, not told in Vincent's or Estu's perspective. You'll see in a minute, just giving a heads up.**

* * *

><p>Vincent, Yuffie, Cid, and Tifa sat around the dining room table, or the conference table, as Cid preferred calling it. Cid and Tifa had been laying out plans for most of the previous day, and were now telling Vincent and Yuffie the details. "So, we'll be here about two more days after today," Cid said. "First off, we gotta get word around town that we're recruitin' people without Deepground findin' out and gettin' involved. Second, we gotta check out the manor and see if there's anything else bout the Proto-materia."<p>

"But we already know what it's for," Yuffie pointed out.

"Yeah, but the fact that we've only got part of it, well it means that Deepground could get the rest. And now that we know that usin' just a part can work… Thanks for that, Vince."

"You're welcome," Vincent said, crossing his arms. _And thanks for reminding me, Cid…_

"But anyway, since just a part can work, that means that if they get their mitts on some, we're screwed… maybe. Still don't know what the hell they want with it," Cid said, scratching his chin. "But the manor's got all sorts of weird shit hiding in it… uh, no offence." _Thanks again Cid._ "So we can take a peak in there… this afternoon?"

"We were going to do recruitment this afternoon," Tifa said.

"Aw, shit… forgot. Well there's four of us… I guess me and Yuffie can find fighters while you and Vince search the haunted house." …_Why do I have to go?_

"What do we do about Estu's sister?" Yuffie asked.

"…What about her?"

"She wanted to fight in the army we're raising," Vincent said.

"Cool," Cid said. "Well once I figure out meetin' times, she can come along. She and the kid gonna stay here or what?"

"…Not sure," Vincent replied. "I'll have to ask them, but I don't think they're certain themselves."

"Hm," Cid said. "Well anyway, we'll have to get some sort of organization here too, until we can get the Shera and are ready to finish Deepground off. We'll organize a small militia here, for the time being…"

"Once we do get the _Shera_, are we going back to Gongaga or Corel?" Tifa asked. "I'm sure there's a lot of people there who were upset with the attacks a few days ago."

"Guess so. We need everyone we can get. So, I'll work on that, you'll have to tell me what you two find on the materia, all right?"

"Yup," Tifa agreed.

"Alright, meeting adjourned…"

"I'm sorry, when did this become a court?" Yuffie asked.

"Shut up, or you won't be allowed at my conference table," Cid threatened.

"That would be devastating… huh, Vinnie?"

"Heartbreaking," he agreed.

* * *

><p>"So since when did you play this?" Ami asked, watching as Estu played through the Chocobo song to appease Marlene.<p>

"Um… I don't know. I just can for some reason… crap, missed that note," Estu said. He tried again, but the particular part of the melody was giving him issues. Estu felt as though he should be better at playing, but just wasn't. Though he knew how to play better, at least in theory, it didn't translate well to his actual ability. He knew how it should sound, but his fingers didn't want to cooperate. "This is so frustrating… I'm not as good as he is…"

"Who?" Ami asked.

"…No one, never mind," Estu said, trying the melody again. After messing it up, he stopped, turning away. "I can't play well… that's so annoying."

"You're doing pretty good for someone who doesn't know how to play," Marlene said.

"_I_ know how to play, but my hands don't," Estu said.

"…What? That doesn't really make sense."

"It really doesn't, does it? Oh well… I guess I just suck at this."

"Practice makes perfect," Marlene said. "Speaking of that," she continued quietly ,"You've really been slacking on our fighting lessons."

"I've been a bit busy," Estu pointed out. "Look, when all the grownups go out, we'll work on them again."

"Okay," Marlene said. "…So are you going to want to talk about yesterday, too?"

"No."

"You sure? It might help," she said.

"No it won't," he said. Marlene nodded and put the cover back on the piano keys. "What helps is playing, but I can't seem to do it right now. It's really annoying. Stupid pianos… and I feel light headed…"

"Probably 'cause you didn't eat anything yesterday," Ami said. Estu looked back at her - she was leaning against the back wall, polishing the handle of her revolver with one of the cleaning rags that had been left lying out. "Well you didn't."

"Hmmph… I know that. What do you have here, Marlene?"

"Tifa made bread, want some?"

"Yeah… that would work," he said. Marlene nodded, walking off to the kitchen. "So… now what do we do?"

"Eat breakfast?" Ami suggested.

"That's not what I meant," he said. "How do you think we should go about the whole file thing?"

"Well, I don't know."

"…Great." _ I don't either… why is this so difficult? Why can't I just remember?_ Marlene walked back into the living room, holding three plates with small slices of bread. Estu thanked her and took a bite. _Uck!_ He grimaced as he swallowed. _Too sweet._ "Marlene, you said this was bread!"

"It is."

"This is _not_ bread, it's _cake_," he complained, making a face. Ami laughed at him, taking a bite of the sweet bread. "Stop, it's not funny."

"It's not cake, silly. Cake has icing. Anyway what's wrong with cake?" Marlene asked.

"Tastes horrible…"

"…You don't like cake? You're so weird."

"I am not … hm…" he frowned looking away from the two. He ate the bread in as few bites he could, trying not to gag on it, then turned away, drumming his fingers across the cover of the piano. "I guess I am weird…"

"…Estu?" Marlene asked. "You okay?"

"Just fine," he said quickly.

He looked up to see that the meeting was over, and everyone was walking out of what Cid had dubbed 'the conference room.' Seeing the others Ami leapt up to talk to Cid about joining their little army. Tifa walked away from the group, over to Marlene. "Hey, kiddo," she said warmly. "Could you do me a favor and hold down the fort today?"

"Is everyone leaving again?" Marlene asked.

"This afternoon," Tifa said. "It'll just be a few hours, though. Okay, sweetie? I know it gets a bit lonely, but… soon we'll have these guys beat and everything will go back to normal. Just gotta stay strong. Can you do that?"

"Of course," Marlene said, smiling.

"You're such a brave kid. Thank you for putting up with all this."

"No problem," Marlene said. As soon as Tifa walked away, she frowned. "I'm so tired of this… I don't want to be here anymore… I just want to go home."

"She said it wouldn't be much longer," Estu said.

"But… nothing's going to be the same anyway… It won't be any better than it is now," she said. "I wish… I wish she'd stop pretending like everything's going to be okay, it's _not_. Nothing's okay. …It never will be…" Marlene looked down sadly. "_Nothing_ is okay about _any_ of this… I miss Cloud, I miss Mr. Reeve, I miss…. I miss my Daddy," she said shakily, tears pooling in her eyes. "How is anything supposed to be okay? How does she expect me to be brave?"

_I wish there was something I could do to help her… It's sad, seeing her like this._ "…You know…you are really brave. You'll make it through this." _That wasn't good… that sounded so stupid…_

"I'm not that brave. I'm not even that great of a person."

"You're a lot better than I am," he pointed out. _Am I even a person? I don't even know anymore_… "Anyway, even if things don't go back to normal… they… they get a bit better over time. It gets easier… even if the pain never really goes away, and you still miss him, wish you could…. Say something, anything… just see them one last time."

"…Are you talking about me or you?" she asked.

"Er…_ you_, of course, I'm talking about _you_," he said. "I mean it's not like I… I don't… never mind. But, you are incredibly brave, and kind, and… just a good kid. So, it'll be okay for you in the end.

"Thanks Estu," she said, sniffing. "But… I think you'll be okay, too. You aren't a bad person, Estu."

"I'm not good…" _Everything I've ever done… it's all been for my benefit. But she cares so much about other people, so much that it hurts her_… "I'm no hero," Estu said.

"But you aren't horrible. I mean, you're only human. Nobody's perfect."

"I guess_…" Only human… Except I'm not even that. Don't think about it. Don't think about it._ He opened the cover of the piano again, taking another shot at the song and losing himself among the notes.

* * *

><p>Lunch that day was still rife with discussion about their plans. Vincent sat at the dining room table ('It's not a #$%^ing conference table if we're eating!' Cid had pointed out) waiting as Tifa finished up. He wasn't looking forward to going into the mansion. Really, he'd prefer going with Cid to round up potential troops, but he did suppose he knew his way around the place, and he wasn't much of a public speaker. It was probably the best use of their talents, splitting the tasks as they did.<p>

He boredly took a sip of tea as Ami suddenly stood up, surprising everyone. "Oh, shoot! Are we going to listen to the 'Violet bulletin?'" she asked. Everyone stared blankly at her. "You guys haven't… oh. Um, sorry."

"What is it?" Tifa asked.

"Um… sort of Deepground's answer to the Zöld broadcasts. Anyway, you have to take everything with a grain of salt, and it's mostly propaganda, but they might say something helpful."

"You can put it on, I guess…" Cid said. Ami nodded, moving over to the radio. "So, how long have they been goin'?

"Um… first one was on the fifteenth, right after those battles. Anyway, they're kinda stupid… I just didn't know if they'd help or not." She turned the radio on, listening closely. "Um… it should start in just a minute…"

"_This is Violet, bringing you all the latest world news!_" An overly cheerful voice spoke out. "_Ahem, today, October 18, a new law is being initiated in Deepground controlled territories. Under this law, it will be mandatory for all strong and able bodied adults between the ages of eighteen and twenty –eight to enlist briefly. I know this may be a bit hard on a few families, but it is for the greater good, after all! As Weiss leads us into a new age of peace and prosperity, you will come to thank him. And though there are still those who oppose his plans, they will soon be eliminated._" The previously sweet voice turned a bit dark and menacing. "_Those who resist against this change shall be crushed under the might of Deepground." _ Then the voice became sweet again_," For the glory of color and light, Violet lives only to serve the world and Weiss_."

"…Holy shit. She's #$%^ing nuts."

"Um yeah…" Ami said awkwardly. "…Funny, they'd be trying to recruit me if I was still in Costa del Sol. Like that would happen!"

"So they're pretending Weiss is a benevolent force for good," Vincent said. "What's tragic is there are probably people who believe that."

"I came across one like that," Ami said. "He was a good person, or at least, not bad, but…"

"We still have to stop them," Tifa said. Cid nodded in agreement. They each quickly finished their lunch and stood, gathering anything they may need for the day. Tifa walked up to Denzel, who was twirling his staff. "Denzel, are you staying here or going with Cid?"

"Cid," he answered. "I wanna see who we're fighting with."

"...Well, okay… You are growing up, but I'd prefer if you kept safe…"

"I'll be fine, don't worry," he said, heading out with Cid, Yuffie, and Ami.

"…Right… don't worry," Tifa replied quietly. She turned to Vincent. "Do you think I'm wrong, not wanting him to fight? He's just… he's just a little boy…"

"He's grown up a lot in the past few weeks," Vincent said.

"And… we've grown apart… Well, there's not much I can do about that right now, right? Keep… moving…" She sighed. "It's getting harder and harder though." Vincent nodded, and opened the door out of the house. They walked in silence for a while, Tifa looking ahead, but deep in thought. "But until we stop them… I guess it's like what Barret used to say, 'There ain't no getting offa this train we're on.' But… I wish I could do a better job with all this."

"I think you're doing just fine," Vincent said, looking up at the dirt path leading to the manor. "…I really don't want to go in there."

"Sorry," she replied, walking through the fence. Vincent put his hands into his coat pockets and walked on, opening the door to the house.

It was eerily quiet inside, as the mansion had been for a long time. The smell of Mako still saturated the air, leaving an odd energy hanging around. Tifa looked up at the stairs leading to the underground library. "Are these foot prints?" Vincent looked over to two pairs of prints, walking up the stairs. _…Those two… must have been them._ Vincent wondered if ,after what he found out, he should tell the others about Estu. But did he have a right to? Did he have a right _not _to? "Who d'you think was in here?"

"Probably just a few kids… the tracks look pretty old, probably from months ago."

"Really? Well I guess you are the expert on this stuff," Tifa said, walking on. _How long am I going to keep his secrets? …It doesn't matter. If it becomes important, well I'll cross that bridge when I get there._ They moved towards the old spiral stair case, leading to the library. As they reached the bottom, Vincent took a quick glance down the hall. "Don't you even think about it!"

"I wasn't…"

"Good, leave that old coffin alone."

"Very well," he said, entering the library. He looked around at the shelves of books… almost looking innocent. But this was the place where hell began, where madness got its start. How many lives were lost due to the information in that room? How many countless individuals were now nothing more than notes in a book of failed projects? "Where to begin...?"

He and Tifa searched through the texts for what seemed like hours, Tifa keeping a running tab on anything of interest. Vincent climbed up a ladder, spying an old journal on the top. He picked it up and slid down the rungs, getting a better look at it. It was old… that much was apparent from the yellowing pages, though the leather bound cover was holding up fairly well. The book still had to be forty years old, at the least. Vincent opened it up, looking at the name written in flowing script at the top of the front cover. "Vere."

"…What?" Tifa asked.

"This journal… it's Vere's."

"The old guy we met outside of Junon? The one who helped discover the Proto-materia?"

"I… think…" Vincent said. He moved over to a table, carefully setting the book down. "…Journal of Archeologist Dr. J. H. Vere… documentation on the discovery and study of the Proto-materia…"

"That's… huh…" Tifa said, looking over. "Wanna read it, Vince?"

Vincent nodded, turning to the first page. "Date, 17th of January… 1970…"

* * *

><p><em>After reviewing the materials sent by Dr. Gast, I became rather interested in the origins of our planet, and I believe I have discovered something amazing in the bone village in the north. A map to a materia, which may be the very first in the whole world. If so… well this discovery would be ground breaking. I've enlisted an expedition team, as well as two scientists interested in the materia's implications on their work. Dr. Valentine and his assistant, Lucrecia Crescent.<em> Vere set his pen down, reading over his notes on the materia. This would make his fame. He could feel it. _ I meet with Dr. Valentine today_… He paused, thinking. The very implications this would have on their understanding of the world, and he'd lead the team there. It was amazing, just thinking about it.

A knock on the door. _This must be them!_ Vere ran out of his office, and opened the door, allowing two people to enter. The man was tall, and surprisingly intimidating. Red intelligent eyes scanned around the room, dark hair fell past his shoulders. Though he was dressed in a white lab coat, his clothes underneath were black, giving the man a look of stark contrasts. The woman behind him seemed almost delicate, slim, and by the way she looked down, a bit shy, Vere guessed. She wore her brown hair up, though a fringe of it framed her face, nearly hiding the edges of her bright green eyes. "Dr. Valentine," Vere greeted, shaking the man's hand. Valentine nodded back.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Dr. Vere. Is everything ready for the expedition tomorrow?"

"Ah yes. I hope you laboratory types won't mind getting a bit dirty. The materia is said to rest at the center of a labyrinth," Vere said, smiling at the thought.

"Yes you told me…" Valentine said quietly. "It'll probably be quite an adventure, certainly more exciting research than what your peers will be writing about, don't you think Lucrecia?"

She nodded. "It'll make a wonderful thesis paper."

_18__th__ of January 1970… We are about to set off on our expedition. What lies at the center of the Labyrinth… the Proto-materia, as I like to call it. It is so close to my grasp…_ Vere set the pen down, looking at the team gathering in the airport. Dr. Valentine tied a red bandana around his neck. "So do I look the part of an adventurer?" he asked seriously. Vere chuckled, nodding.

The flight to the island was lengthy, but entirely worth it. It was beautiful, such tropic scenery, and everywhere, bits of stone tablets, etched with luminescent symbols. In the years to come, he'd have to make more trips to the island, if only to translate the texts in the stone. He moved to the center, leading the team forward. "This rock… seems a bit out of place, don't you think, Valentine?"

"It's not exactly my line of work, but yes… it does."

The crew moved it out of the way, uncovering a large hole in the ground. "Well isn't this interesting… who'd like to go first?"

_19__th__ of January, 1970… I believe I have made a mistake. On the expedition yesterday, I acted out of haste… plunging my team into a booby trap. A man died, yesterday. One of the younger members of my team… It was my fault…_ Vere looked at the Proto-materia, glowing with an odd red light, but occasionally flashing with white. _I feel a bit guilty about what happened, but t__he secrets of this materia have to be worth it. I'm optimistic about our study of it._

_27__th__ of January, 1970. Work has gone slowly on the materia… Though Dr. Valentine believes it has something to do with his work on a being called Chaos. Ancient texts seem to confirm this guess. The man has been spending much of his time here, though his assistant seemed as though she was in desperate need of a break. She's taking the next two weeks off._

_1__st__ of February, 1970. Valentine's son visited today. Caused quite a commotion…_

Vere looked over at the young man. He looked a lot like his father, with the same dark hair and curious red eyes. Though at the moment, the resemblances ended with looks it seemed, as the Doctor 'discussed' the matter of his son's career.

"I cannot believe you want to throw your life away. You were doing just fine with your courses, why on Gaia did you decide that you wanted to join… that… that organization of glorified killers?"

"Father, the Turks are rather selective of who they allow to join. The fact that I got in-"

"Yes, great. You can fight and use a gun. But why waste your mind on that nonsense? Have you no respect?"

"Respect for what, exactly? Family tradition? When have I ever expressed any desire to follow in your footsteps? I mean, it's not as though I-"

"Vincent!"

"Yes?" the young man answered. Dr. Valentine seemed to be unable to speak. "This is what I'm doing. I'm already contracted. I was just telling you."

"Why? Just … Why?"

"Because it's what I'm good at… and because I can."

"Damn it, Vincent! Is this all it boils down to? You don't want to be me? Is that all?"

"…"

"Don't go all quiet like that!"

"Sorry, father. I need to get going," Vincent said. _He left then, leaving the Doctor an angry mess I had to deal with._

* * *

><p>"You were a rebel?" Tifa asked, looking amused.<p>

"I was nineteen," Vincent said.

"But you, _you_ actually did that? Went against your dad like that? I can't believe you of all people…"

"I was _nineteen_," Vincent said again. "And a lot more impulsive than I am now, and… I hated being told what to do. So I dropped out of the university I was enrolled in and joined the Turks on a whim. So, yes, I suppose I was a bit of a rebel, but everyone has a phase like that, don't they?"

"I guess," Tifa said. "So how come you never mentioned meeting Vere?"

"I didn't remember even saying anything to him…I didn't really notice him at all…" Vincent said. "I really didn't even remember his name, even right after I'd left. I guess I had my mind on other things."

"Wonder why Vere didn't recognize you then…"

"Well, it has been over forty years. Anyway, I doubt he expected me to look like I do."

"True… too bad you didn't pay more attention to him, though. Would've helped us now," Tifa said.

Vincent nodded. "But, it was a _long_ time ago. And I was sort of preoccupied with my father. He was furious with me… thought I was wasting my talents, I suppose, though I had no interest in his line of work…"

"He ever forgive you?"

Vincent looked down guiltily. "I don't know… that was the last time I ever spoke to him. After that, I went to Midgar and ignored his calls for a while. I assumed he'd just try to get me 'back on the right track.' Then he… died, not long after…. I wish I could have made amends somehow…"

"Oh, Vince! I'm so sorry."

"It was a long time ago," Vincent said again. "…I just… I need a bit of a break."

She nodded. "Right. I'm just going to look through the rest of these for a bit."

* * *

><p>Estu and Marlene took advantage of the empty house, using the attic as a good secluded place to practice. Dispite a few days with out working, Marlene did well with her dodging moves, and Estu taught her a few new ones. After a few hours, she had them down pretty well. She sat down, looking tired. "Need a break?" Estu asked, sitting next to her.<p>

"Yeah… I'm doing pretty good, huh?" Marlene asked.

"Pretty decent," Estu said. "I dunno… should we practice magic up here? It might mess something up. And your aim isn't the best anyway…"

"Don't be mean! …It's not that bad. So…" she paused, looking over at him. "Are you sure you don't want to talk about yesterday?"

"…What's there to talk about?" he asked. Her eyes still seemed to bore into him. Estu sighed, then spoke quietly, "…S-2… that was the name of a project… I assume it means Sep -Sephiroth Two… which would make me…" He tapped his fingers across the floor, trying to compose his thoughts. "Vincent said… cloning could be a possibility, but… I didn't even think… I guess it's possible, but… I didn't want…"

"What's cloning?" Marlene asked.

"…Right… I forget you're only seven sometimes…"

"I'm almost eight!" she protested. "So, what is it?"

"…Do you know those little pieces of carbon paper? Whatever you write gets copied perfectly onto the sheet below it. If what Vincent guessed was right… and he seems to be right a lot… but if he's right, I'd be the bottom sheet… a copy of an already existing person…"

"But the carbon paper makes the copy at the same time," Marlene said, missing the point.

"…Maybe it wasn't the best metaphor… I'm sorry, I'm not really good at explaining this stuff…"

"How come you know what it is?" Marlene asked.

"Well…" Estu paused, thinking about it. "Actually, I have no clue how I know… Maybe… Maybe I knew before and just never forgot? Crap… that would mean… if that's the case I…" His hands started shaking. "I…"

"Estu… it'll be okay," she said, patting his shoulder.

"Don't do that," he said, moving away from her. "I'm fine… really. I'm fine." Maybe if he kept telling himself that, it would become true. "I mean… it's not like I know anything for sure now, right?"

"I… guess?" Marlene said.

"Yeah… Anyway, let's get back to practicing, okay?" She nodded, standing up. They got back to working on fighting, though Estu didn't think he needed much more practice for the day. Anything to keep himself from thinking about it… Anything would help.

* * *

><p>"Do you think you could take over reading for a while? My voice is tired…" Vincent said, walking back to the book.<p>

"Oh, sure," Tifa replied. "Let's see… 24th of February, 1970…"

* * *

><p><em>Grimoire has found something interesting in his research. Apparently, Chaos is supposed to return to a location called Crystal Cave. We decided that bringing the Proto-materia there would be a good way to study its effects. The expedition is scheduled for five days from now, and I cannot wait.<em> Vere smiled at the thought. All his work was finally coming together._ I really need to start writing my memoirs for when I'm famous._

_1__st__ of March, 1970. We arrived at Crystal Cave today. Lucrecia in particular seems rather excited about this research. Well, it will make quite a thesis paper. Valentine's been a bit irritable, said his blasted son wouldn't return his calls, but this latest venture seems to be lifting his spirits as well. Teenagers… they're an excellent reason to never have children._

Vere looked at the surrounding cave. It was quite beautiful, delicate structures of diamond glistened in the faint light. A waterfall provided a backdrop of white noise, echoing throughout the smooth walls. "We should sell postcards of these places, don't you think, Valentine?" Always serious, Grimoire simply nodded.

"The center of the cave is where it's supposed to happen… We should get going."

"Of course ,Doctor."

They moved towards the center of the cave, finding a raised crystiline structure. Grimoire held out the materia, setting it into an indentation. For a few moments, nothing happened. But then…

The earth shook, and the previously gleaming white crystals turned blood red. Vere looked around worriedly. "What's going on?" A terrible voice, deep and echoing and otherworldly began speaking in a language none of them understood. Vere looked around for the source, but couldn't find one, almost as though it was the voice of the cave itself. From the crystals lining the room, dark energy took the shape of abstract hands, not entirely solid, but not quite ethereal either… One of the hands lashed out, grabbing one of the expedition team.

"Help!" he cried out in pain. It was only a moment though… then another hand lashed out at him, spilling his blood. _Oh god! What have we done?_ Vere ran, avoiding the hands that were gripping various team members. A sudden shrill cry caught his attention.

"Lucrecia!" Grimoire shouted. One of the dark, tendril like arms gripped her. Valentine dove towards her, disrupting the flow of energy from the crystal. As though it were angered, four of the hands latched onto Valentine, each pulling a limb in a different direction.

"No, Doctor!" Lucrecia cried. She dove towards the protomateria, grabbing it. It shone in her grasp, and the tendrils seemed to go away… but it was too late. She and Vere walked over to Valentine's body.

"D- don't look," Vere said, turning her away.

"He… he tried to save me… what have I done?" Vere shook his head. _What have I done?_

_5th of March, 1970. I'm back in Midgar now… after meeting with a few experts, it was decided that the Proto-materia was, by far, too dangerous. And I never wanted to have someone go through what we did that day. Out of the initial ten person team, there are three of us now… Me, Lucrecia, and one of the assistants I hired. We decided to split the Proto-Materia into three pieces, hide it, so it can never be used again. Each of us is telling one person where our piece is, but that's all. As I told Lucrecia, I'm putting mine back where it came from. My assistant told me he took it to an ancient's maze, near the bone village. As for Lucrecia… I have no idea where hers is, but I hope she hides it well._

_I've decided… I can't publish anything. Not after what happened. Seven people are dead, and I'm to blame… My own damn ambition caused all of this. I'm done with it all. I'm quitting my job… I just can't stand it anymore._

_16th of March, 1970. I can't stand it any more. I just can't. I see their faces, the people who died. I see them everywhere. I hate people. I hate them. I need to get away. If anyone ever reads this… take it as a cautionary tale. I can't anymore… I'm leaving, going somewhere far enough away in the forest that I won't have to deal with anyone. Just leave me alone. Just leave me alone…_

* * *

><p>"…It ends there," Tifa said. Vincent nodded, thinking over what they'd just learned. "…There's a map showing the location of the shard we found and the second one. Do you know what Lucrecia did with hers?"<p>

"No… she never mentioned any of this… this must have been what she meant when she said she was responsible for my father's death…"

"Are you okay, Vince?" He nodded, looking at the multitude of books they'd collected.

"That was… it was probably the best of what we'd find here. Do you want to call it a day?"

"Yeah… It's getting pretty late. We'll have to tell Cid about this."

"Just… bring the journal." Vincent looked back at all the books held on the shelves. "This sheds a bit of light… I think it was a good find." Tifa nodded, moving towards the spiral staircase. They both climbed and walked out of the house in silence.


	27. Chapter 27

As Estu and Marlene walked back down stairs after their practice session, his thoughts turned back to the rest of the group. _They should be getting back soon_. He and Marlene sat in the living room, Estu allowing her to chatter away as he nodded his head in silence. They both looked up when the front door opened, letting in a quartet of rowdy voices. Cid, Ami, Yuffie, and Denzel had just gotten back from looking for potential recruits. As Ami briefly gave Estu a smile and continued talking with Cid, Denzel waved at the two and walked over. "So, how was hanging out in the house all day?" he asked.

Marlene shrugged, "Not too bad. What did you guys do?"

"Hung a bunch of posters, talked to a few people. There's going to be a meeting at three tomorrow, and anyone who wants to fight needs to go… got that Estu?"

"Huh?" Estu asked distractedly.

"You gotta go to the meeting tomorrow," Denzel repeated.

"But I don't want to fight Deepground," Estu said.

Denzel tilted his head at him. "Well, what are you doing here, then? …Wait, why did you want to come to this town anyway?"

Estu froze. _Crap! I don't know how to answer that_. "Well, I… um…" Estu struggled to think of an excuse, but nothing came to mind. Denzel gave him an odd look. _Please stop staring… _Estu took a breath, still trying to come up with an answer._ Just think of something. Anything. _But he couldn't, so he decided to go to his default response to any question. "You know, it's really none of your business, Denzel," he finally said.

"Okay…" Denzel said. "Well, unless you tell me why, you kinda still need to go to the meeting."

"Sure, I'll do that," Estu said quickly.

Denzel gave him another odd look. "Why'd you change your mind so…Whatever. I'll see ya later, okay Marlene?" Marlene nodded as Denzel walked towards the conference room. The second he was behind the closed door, Estu released a sigh of relief.

"…So you're never gonna tell anyone else?" Marlene asked.

"Course not…" Estu said. "I mean, how would I even _begin_ to explain myself? I didn't even 'tell' you and Vincent, anyway. Just sort of… slipped up. I never meant for either of you to know." He still wished he could go back, prevent them from finding out… but then would he have even managed to get this far? He wasn't sure.

Marlene looked up at him, thoughtfully. "Must be hard… having to hide all the time," she said.

"I don't… hide," Estu said slowly.

"Yes you do. You hide under that silly hat!"

"…I like my hat," he said, moving it lower around his head.

There was some truth to Marlene's words, but Estu didn't care. It wasn't as though he had a choice in the matter anyway. He doubted most people would be as forgiving as Marlene, or as tightlipped about it as Vincent. Even now, he worried. What if someone did find out? He couldn't hide forever, could he? No… he could. He was good at hiding, after all. He'd done it all his life.

* * *

><p>"A map to the second piece! Never expected you two to find somethin' like this!" Cid said excitedly.<p>

The story that Tifa and Vincent had brought home had gone over pretty well. It was a good thing, too. Something new to aim for, a beacon of hope cutting through the clouds of doubt, this map would help them figure things out beyond just the plan of fighting Deepground.

"There's still a third piece floating around somewhere," Tifa said.

"Hm… Yeah… So, Vince, think the icicle can tell us where it is?" _'Icicle?'_ Vincent frowned at the word.

"Cid don't be insensitive!" Tifa scolded.

"Well can she?" Cid asked.

"…Not sure," Vincent replied. She had been able to speak to him once, but could she again? It was possible, he supposed. "She could, maybe… but…"

"It might be worth a trip, Vince," Tifa said. Vincent nodded. _Lucrecia…_

"Anyway, tell 'em about all the people we found, Cid," Yuffie interrupted.

Cid grinned and started talking about recruits for the Nibelheim militia. Vincent paid half attention, thoughts still on what he'd learned that afternoon. It seemed like he was more deeply involved with the material than he'd realized. His father, Lucrecia, Chaos… All these connections between him and it. Now he'd have to face his past again… just to find out where the final shard was.

_Lucrecia… I wish you'd told me._ But would he have cared back then? He had no interest in his father's work, after all. Vincent briefly wondered what his life would have been like if he _was_. If he'd just done what his father wanted, followed in his footsteps, what would have changed for him? What would have changed for the world? Would it have even made a difference?

"Vinnie? What do you think about all that?" Yuffie asked, bringing him back to the present.

"Er… Sounds great, Cid," Vincent said, unsure of what exactly he just approved of.

"Glad you think so. Lots of good gunners in this area and it'll be good for 'em to see a master at work." Cid and Tifa left the table, leaving a very confused Vincent behind.

"…What just happened?"

"You agreed to show the recruits a gun lesson?"

"Oh… well that's not too bad," he said, standing.

"You weren't paying attention, huh Vinnie?"

"Why would you think that?" he asked indifferently. She laughed and walked with him outside the house.

The cool evening air was welcome after spending the afternoon in the stuffy library. Out here, so far away from the major cities, a few stars twinkled in the night sky. High up, a full moon cast a soft golden glow over the town. The quiet cobbled streets and quaint little buildings made it a bit hard to believe that so much had happened there. On its surface, Nibelheim seemed so innocent. But the town's dark secrets could still be felt by those who knew the truth. Still, there was a certain simple beauty to the town, a quiet charm of sorts.

Vincent moved away from Tifa's home, towards the center of town. He sat on the edge of the well, briefly peering into to its inky depths. Yuffie sat next to him, looking at the stars. "It's nice, huh Vinnie?" she asked. Vincent nodded. "It's weird how… things almost seem normal again. We're still looking for this treasure… still fighting, but… I don't know. Maybe just being back here reminds me. Can you believe it's been four years? I wish… I wish we had our full team around though, then it'd really be just like old times."

"But that can't happen," Vincent said quietly.

"…I know. But wouldn't it be great? Me and that Spiky headed jerk fighting like we used to? Cait doing his stupid fortune telling? God, I always wanted to murder that little stuffed toy! He was the annoying one, right?"

"…Sure… Cait Sith was the annoying one," Vincent said. Yuffie noticed the sarcasm in his words.

"Hey, give me a break! I was just a kid. Anyway… that was such an adventure to me back then. I didn't have anything at stake, just along for fun. It's still pretty fun sometimes, don't you think?"

_Fun? After everything that's happened?_ "I'm not sure 'fun' would be the word I'd use," Vincent said quietly. Yuffie shrugged looking up at the night sky, starlight shining in her eyes. After all that time, she was still determined and optimistic, so opposite from Vincent. _How?_ "How do you stay so upbeat all the time?" he asked.

Yuffie said nothing for a moment. She looked up at him. "What do you mean by that, Vinnie?"

"I don't think you've gotten upset about anything even once. No guilt, no sadness, no grief… Everyone's had their ups and downs, but you're always as cheerful and hyper as ever. How?"

Yuffie frowned for a moment. "Isn't it obvious, Vincent?" she asked. "If I'm not cheerful and hyper… it just hurts too much." It wasn't quite the answer he'd expected. Vincent looked up at her, but Yuffie was smiling again. "Anyway, I don't wanna be a grump like you. I'm surprised you don't have your own personal rain cloud!"

Vincent rolled his eyes. "Thanks Yuffie."

"Such a darn stick in the mud… Maybe you ought to be more like me sometimes!" she said. "Anyway, I'm getting a bit tired. All Cid's running around wore me out... see?" She leaned against his shoulder. "Not so hyper anymore."

"If you say so," Vincent said.

They sat like that for a while. Silent. Then Vincent stood, helping Yuffie to her feet. She thanked him as they walked back to the house, passing Ami and Estu, who were walking back to the inn. Vincent gave the two a slight nod as they walked by.

"Vinnie," Yuffie said as Vincent reached towards the doorknob. Vincent looked down into her eyes. "Um… well never mind. Night Vinnie!" she said, racing into the house. An exasperated sigh, but also a slight smile was Vincent's response.

* * *

><p><em>They flew away from Gongaga early the next morning.<em>

"_I can't believe that happened…"_

"_I can't believe you're still complaining about it," Ace said, looking annoyed._

"_Do you know what he did? He purposefully screwed me over! This was my assignment! Mine! And then he acted like he forgot who I was, like we weren't ever competing!"_

"_If he can't remember you, why on earth would he try to sabotage you?" Ace asked. The black haired boy paused, looking out the window thoughtfully, tapping his fingers against the glass. "What probably happened was a mix up at HQ. Blame the damn secretaries, not Sephiroth."_

"_Well he still had nerve… acting like he didn't know who I was! Arrogant asshole…"_

"_There's a million people trying just as hard as you to compete with the guy. Trying to get in with the damn SOLDIER division. Hell, there's a kid from Banora, just announced he was betting his entire portion of his family's fortune that he'd be at the same rank as Sephiroth within a few years. Bet against the president's son of all people! And thing is, it's not all that unlikely. If you really expected him to remember you out of everyone else, then you're just as arrogant as you say he is. I mean, you two really aren't that different."_

"_I'm nothing like him!"_

"_Yeah, you're a hell of a lot less mature, I'm sure," Ace said. The boy was actually a bit shocked at his words._

"_Do you realize who you're speaking to? I could kill you a hundred different ways with my eyes closed!"_

"_Well, unless you know how to fly a plane, I think that would be a bad idea," the pilot said sarcastically. The black haired boy blinked in surprise. No one spoke to him that way. No one. "You really need to relax. What happened was just a fluke. Accept it and move on. I'm really tired of listening to your stupid tantrum, kid."_

"_I'm not throwing a tantrum! And I'm not just a kid."_

"_Then stop acting like one."_

_They sat in silence for a few moments, the black haired boy quietly tapping on the window. "…I'm… sorry?" he said awkwardly._

"_It's fine… I just really don't do well with children… Swear to god, if I ever have any-"_

"_I'm not a child! Anyway, you can't be more than six years older than me!"_

"_Yeah… huh… Maybe you're right," Ace said. Yeah I'm right. Ace narrowed his eyes slightly and continued," But you do need to accept this with a bit of maturity; otherwise, you ain't getting anywhere. Shinra will take child soldiers in a heartbeat. They're awful people in that regard… but you acting your age isn't going to help. Just try emulating someone else you know… someone more mature. You've got a brother… he older or younger?"_

"_Younger," the boy answered._

"_Mmp… Well you got any older friends?" Ace asked._

"_Not… not really, no. I'm not a people person, really."_

"…_So you're some sort of antisocial weirdo?"_

"_You're an antisocial weirdo!" the boy said. Ace laughed at him. What? Why's he? He just kept laughing, wiping a tear from his eye. "Stop laughing at me…" the boy said quietly._

"_You haven't got a friend in the world, do you, kid?"_

"_I…I have friends…" Ace looked over, giving him a long hard look. "…Okay, maybe I don't, but it doesn't matter. I'm going to be the best warrior in the world."_

"_Will that make you happy?"_

"_It'll make my father happy," the boy said._

"_But will it make YOU happy?" The boy refused to answer. They rode in the plane in silence for the rest of the trip. As they approached the airport outside of Midgar, he stared out the widow. Ace skillfully landed the craft. "Huh… there's your dad," he said looking out at the man. _

_The father looked peeved. Crap… Crap, I don't want to have to tell him… Maybe he already heard? "Come on, son," he said coldly as the boy stepped out of the plane. Crap, crap, crap! Ace stood next to him, giving an encouraging half smile. "I heard what happened. Hojo will pay for this, mark my words… horrible excuse for a man… And we'll get you a better long term pilot."_

_The boy looked back at Ace, again combing his hair, nonchalant even when he was about to be fired. "Actually… he's very good. I think we should keep him," the boy said. Ace paused, looking over at the boy with a bemused expression._

"_He's nineteen, for god's sake!" the father said._

"_I'm thirteen, and I'm skilled in spite of my age, aren't I?"_

_The father raised an eyebrow, but seemed unable to argue with that point. "Fine, keep the pilot if you want. Let's just go." He turned and began walking towards the exit. Ace looked at the boy, a bit surprised. _

"_Why the hell did you do that?" Ace asked._

"…_Because… you're probably the first person who ever asked how I felt about something. …Thanks."_

_Ace nodded, smiling. "Take care for now, kid."_

In the morning Estu stood from the floor of the inn, stretching from a sore night's rest. Ami had offered him the bed, but Estu declined. He'd be fine, he'd told her. Never slept well anyway. "Morning! You ready for whatever we're doing today?" Ami asked, looking over at him.

"Guess so," Estu yawned.

"Sleep okay down there?" she asked, braiding her hair back.

"Comparatively, yes…" he said. Of course, there were still the odd dreams, but nothing too upsetting had happened. Dream Estu kept looking out of the plane, which annoyed him, but aside from that, nothing. "Hey, Ami? Have you ever heard of someone named Ace Walker?"

"Can't say so. Why?"

"…No reason. Just another stupid dream," Estu answered. The pair of them quickly dressed and headed out of the inn. "Ami, where did our Dad… er… I mean your dad… Takashi find me?"

She shrugged. "Just brought you home one day, wouldn't tell me anything except he'd found you on the job. …You can call him 'Dad' … I shouldn't have told you not to."

Estu nodded, putting his hands in his pockets. "…So that would be where? Midgar?"

"Yup, sector 8. But you already knew that since he worked for Shinra. I kinda just figured you were some random slum kid, at least before I got a good look at you. There were a lot of kids orphaned when the sector 7 plate fell. That was just a couple of days before he found you, too."

"…Sector 7 plate?" he asked, confused.

"Uh, never mind. But why do you ask now? I mean, you can't really remember any of that early stuff, right?"

"Just… trying to figure things out, I guess," he said, walking into Tifa's home. He helped everyone prepare for the meeting until noon when they took a quick lunch break. Ami kept glancing at the radio.

"Just turn the damn thing on already!" Cid said, annoyed at her fidgeting. She gave a few quiet apologies as she clicked it on low volume. "Anyway, don't see what she's got to say that's so #$%^ing important to ya."

"Just like being informed," Ami said quietly. The ate for a few more minutes until the bulletin started up.

"_This is Violet bringing you all the latest world news. Ahem, today ,October 19, I would like to announce that I'm…."_ A burst of static, then an annoyingly high pitched voice continued. "_I would like to announce that I'm a horrible bitch and an awful replacement for Zöld. In fact, let's bring him back on air now…. Miss me_?" The voice dropped a few octaves, and become oddly distorted.

"_Sorry about not being around for the last… five days? Damn, really sorry. Took a while to set up in my all new top secret lair. Mwahaha_…"

"_You aren't a frickin' super villain_."

"_Haha, ignore my tech guy. Anyway, the thing that Violet was going to announce was her plans of donating what's left in WRO funds to Deepground, since, you know, she technically is the last one working there… 'Cept Zul, and Weiss… Guess they didn't care too much, though. Anyway, I'm sure that she'd cover it up in some flowery propaganda, and I'm sure everyone was looking forward to that_."

"_Aside from that, I've got aftermath reports which Deepground seems to want to keep from the general public. Corel is now under their control, but Gongaga and Cosmo Canyon both managed to put up spectacular fights, with the help of the Turks and AVALANCHE, respectively. Nice work guys! I even heard that someone managed to shoot Weiss himself in the arm. Apparently the man is mostly human, after all! Well, he bleeds anyway. That's all for now. Stay safe and tell everyone I'm back in action! Zöld out_."

"…Cool," Cid said. "So, our pal on the radio's back."

"Reno and Rude must have defended Gongaga," Vincent added.

"Pretty good news… Thanks, guess that was worth a listen after all," he said turning to Ami. She smiled and nodded.

The day passed by quickly, at three most of AVALANCHE as well as Estu and Ami went to a back road of town for the meeting. Cid pumped the troops up, and Vincent showed off his skills with a gun. Ami watched with utter amazement, excitement shining through her eyes. Estu, meanwhile, didn't pay much attention.

This wasn't what he wanted to do, but he literally couldn't think of anything else. He'd spent parts of the morning looking over the files, trying to find a pattern, but there was nothing. He tried using every five letter word he could think of, but still the code made no sense. He was starting to feel as though nothing he'd find would ever shed any light. He just couldn't think of anything to get away from the dead end he faced.

"You think that might be a good thing?" Ami asked when he voiced his frustration later that day.

"What do you mean? I'm stuck. That's never a good thing."

"After the manor you pretty much shut down for a whole day. It really hurt you. And think of how small what we found was compared to whatever's in there," she said, pointing accusingly at the files. "Maybe you should just pretend you never found the files? I mean… is it really that important?"

"Of course it is!" he said. "And are you really going to tell me I should give up? You just said the other day that I shouldn't, that it wasn't like me."

Ami sighed. "I know, but-"

"Hey, Ami!" one of the new recruits shouted. He waved at her from across the street, gesturing to a new gun that the local weapons shop had donated.

"I need to go, I told him we'd have a shooting contest," Ami said, standing up.

"Er… okay then," Estu replied as she walked off. _It's important to me… but will the truth hurt?_ He shook his head. _I have to keep going. I have to… but I'm so lost_.

* * *

><p>After a day of demonstrating his skill with a gun, Vincent felt pretty good. The newly formed Nibelheim militia was a skilled bunch of people who would be more that capable of defending the town until they were ready for the final battle against Deepground forces.<p>

As they all headed back to Tifa's house, Vincent looked to his side to see Estu quickly keeping pace with him. He glanced over his shoulder then spoke quietly, "I need to talk to you later tonight, if that's okay?" Vincent nodded, though he hadn't talked to the boy on his own since they left Cosmo Canyon.

The evening came and went. As everyone went to bed, Vincent mentioned he was going to go for a walk. Stepping outside, he saw Estu leaning against the Nibelheim inn. Vincent walked over to the boy and for a moment, neither of them said anything. The only sound was the wind whistling through the town. Estu pulled the knife out of his pocket and clicked it open, creating a bit of fire on the tip. He stared into it as he finally spoke.

"I need your… advice," he said a bit awkwardly. Vincent said nothing, but paid attention to Estu's movements. He seemed unreasonably nervous, for some reason. "You… you know I found that folder the other day… but I don't know where to go from here. What do you think?"

"Why are you asking me?"

"Well who else am I supposed to ask? I'm… I'm at a loss here. It's not like I… I _can't_ just sit here and wait for a chance to fight Deepground. _I can't_ just run around and help you people look for the blasted materia. I _can't_ just… do nothing. I_ can't_ go off on my own again after… after Ami… I _can't_ make her go through what she did again, it wouldn't be right." Estu flipped the knife closed and crossed his arms. "So what the hell am I supposed to do now? I've literally got nothing."

"I'm afraid I can't really help you. I don't know what you should do anymore than you," Vincent said. The boy looked down in defeat. "There's no reason for you to do that. Be patient, learn to accept that sometimes there isn't a ready answer to every problem."

"…But what if… what if I can't do anything else? What if I don't learn anything else? I can't just live my life not knowing," Estu said.

"You have a general idea now, don't you?" Vincent asked.

Estu shook his head. "…I don't really like your theory. Has to be something else, I mean… I still don't know anything for sure, right?"

Vincent sighed. "Are you really going back to pretending you have nothing to do with him? For someone who so desperately seeks the truth, you spend a lot of time running away from it." Estu looked up, wide eyed in shock. Then he glanced away, ignoring Vincent's words, though he seemed to know how true they rang.

"You don't know… you don't know what it's like for _me_ to think that I'm like _him_! How could you even _begin_ to understand?" he asked, glaring directly at Vincent. "You think you get it because you're some sort of freak of nature? Yeah, I saw that thing you turned into, but do you think that means you know how I-" He stopped as Vincent glared back at him. Vincent's eyes seemed to pierce directly through him, the same way Weiss's did. Flickers of yellow light danced within his eyes. Estu quickly turned away.

Although the man looked furious, Vincent spoke in a calm, quiet voice, "I don't pretend to know exactly what you're going through, but I'm probably closer to understanding than anyone else alive. So I suggest you stop this tantrum you're throwing."

"…Tantrum…" Estu said thoughtfully. It was a moment before he got angry. "I'm not throwing anything… I'm not!"

"Right," Vincent said coolly, turning away from the boy.

"Wait! I'm… I'm sorry," he quickly apologized. Vincent ignored him. "Please… I don't know what to do anymore. I'm so lost…" Estu said shaking. "Please…"

"Like I said, there's not much I can do to help you. Until you figure out exactly what you want… Well, no one can help you until you decide that," Vincent said, moving back towards Tifa's house. From behind him he heard a scream of frustration then the slam of the door on the Nibelheim inn. Vincent took a deep breath as he opened the door of Tifa's home and quietly slipped inside.

* * *

><p>"<em>I'm back!" he announced, stepping into his house. The boy's brother looked up, eye swollen shut from a bruise. "God! What happened to you?"<em>

"_Don't pretend you care," the younger brother replied._

"…_Just tell me who did it, okay?"_

"_No! I don't want you fighting my battles for me! I can do it myself!"_

"_Tine… you're too little. You're too weak."_

"_I am not!" Tine shouted. "Just leave me alone, okay?"_

_The black haired boy stood back in silence as one of his father's assistants carried his things back into his home. "What happened to my brother?" he asked as his father entered._

"_Got in a fight. It's not a big deal."_

"_Not a big deal? ! He's just a little kid! Why would anyone hurt him?" the boy asked, rage burning in his heart. "He's never done anything to anyone, and you'd just let him get hurt like that? How could you?" The father raised a hand._

"_Calm yourself down. Do you really expect to get anywhere if you let your emotions control you like this?"_

"_N- no. I just…" He tried looking past everyone, trying to see his little brother. "…Never mind." Sometimes, he decided, father doesn't really need to know what I'm thinking. …Whoever did this to you is going to pay, mark my words._

_Later, the younger brother walked towards the front door. "I'm going outside," he called. No one answered. "Not that anyone cares," he mumbled, stepping out. The older brother waited a moment, then silently followed him. Tine made his way down the streets of sector 8, then turned a corner into a back alley. Where's he going?_

"_Hey there, pipsqueak!" another boy, much larger, but perhaps only eight years old said. Tine raised his small fists. "Heh, you want another round, shrimp?"_

"_I'm not a shrimp!"_

_The bully laughed, taking a swing at the boy. Tine dodged and threw a weak punch at the older boy's ribs. It only angered him. He swung again and Tine tried getting out of the way, but was caught in a sudden coughing fit. His eyes grew wide as he tried to back away and catch his breath at the same time. The older brother's fist shook as he watched the boy struggle. No… I'm sorry, but this just isn't a fight you can win. "Don't you dare hurt him!"_

_He ran towards the bully, catching his arm in his grip before he could strike a blow at the younger brother. "Wha?" he asked. "Where'd you come from?" The black haired boy ignored him, throwing him to the ground._

"_You pick on kids littler than you? How's it feel?" The bully struggled to stand again._

"_No! I said I can do this myself, you jerk!" Tine said, trying to step between the two._

"_Go home. I'll deal with this jackass," he said, turning to Tine._

"_No! You always have to show me up, don't you? I told you I can do this! I-" he began coughing again, this time clutching at his chest as the tremors racked his tiny body. Struggling against the fit, Tine collapsed. The black haired boy ran towards his brother, holding him tightly until the fit subsided. "I… I can't…" Tine struggled. The coughing had stopped, but he could still barely breathe._

"_Sh… it'll be okay. It'll be okay," he tried comforting him. "Come on, let's get back to the house…"_

"_No… I need to … I need to catch him… he's running away…" he wheezed. "I… don't want… to be worthless… I want to be strong… like you…"_

_The older boy shook his head. "You aren't worthless…. I love you more than anything. You know that, right little brother?"_

"_I… I…" his eyes rolled back as he slipped into unconsciousness._

"_No! Don't you do this, you're all I've got!" the black haired boy shouted, carrying his brother back to his home. He ran, faster than he ever had in his life, holding onto Tine's unconscious body, careful to protect him from harm. He jerked on the doorknob, but it was locked. Desperate, he pounded on his front door. Please help! Please! He felt completely helpless as he waited for someone to answer, anyone…_

_The door opened, and the boy's father stepped out, staring coldly at his two children. Please help him… please!_

"Don't let him die! You have to help!" Estu shouted, sitting up. Across the room, Ami jumped, awoken from her sleep.

"Estu? What the hell?"

Estu turned to her, eyes wide with panic. "We have to help my brother! Hurry, he's not breathing right!" Ami blinked a few times, trying to understand his meaning. "Ami, please! We have to…wait… oh…" Estu realized where he was and calmed down a bit.

"You dreaming again?" she asked, rubbing her eyes.

"…Yeah, sorry," Estu said. His heart still raced with worry. For a moment, he'd been so wrapped up in his dream, so determined to protect the younger boy. It was a powerful feeling… the desire to protect him… the love between siblings. "It felt… so real," he said absentmindedly. "Just like with us… I felt… I had to help him… Heh, just a dream…"

She nodded. "Just a dream. You okay, now?"

"Yeah. Sorry I woke you up," he said. "I just saw him and… It's not real."

"It's not real," she agreed. "Go back to sleep, okay?" Estu nodded, closing his eyes again.

* * *

><p>The next day, Vincent helped Tifa and Yuffie as they carried things back to the airship. They would leave later that day, right after they caught the Zöld report. Cid stayed back in town, offering instruction to the Militia. After they had most of their things loaded Vincent quickly headed back to town. As the sun climbed the sky, Vincent took a last look at the quiet town.<p>

"Yup, I'm just about sick of this place," Cid said, back at Tifa's house. "Next up's Rocket Town, home sweet home."

"I'm sure Shera missed you," Vincent noted. "It's been what? Two months now?"

"None of your damn business," Cid grumbled.

"Well, at least you ended up with a phone still… Can call and check up on her." Cid's eyes widened. _Oh, no… Cid…_"…You didn't, did you? You haven't spoken to her once."

"Haha… oh #$%^ me… she's gonna kill me," Cid laughed, already nervous.

"Hm… And you make fun of my personal life."

"At least I _have_ a personal life, Valentine."

"Not for long, by the look on your face…"

They ate lunch waiting for the report. Estu played with his food, looking as defeated as he had earlier, though now dark circles hung under his eyes, a mark of a troubled sleep. Vincent kept glancing up at the radio, waiting for the report to start.

A burst of static, then… "_This is Zöld, voice of… crap, I'm not in Junon anymore. Ha. Well, anyway, today's main story comes from Edge City Weiss has ordered for a search for an old archeologist dude named Vere to be conducted. They'll do the announcement thing later when Violet takes over the TV and offers rewards and junk… Too bad I can't hijack the TV. That would be fun. Anyway, I love doing anything to screw with these bastards. I mean they did kill my uncle Mark_."

Estu suddenly shot up, staring at the radio. Everyone looked up at him. "I… sorry, need to go!" he said, running out of the house.

"…Great… I'll go get him in a minute," Ami said to no one in particular.

"_Aside from that little manhunt, Weiss has ordered further studies on the effects of LFT units and has gotten Zul to improve the helmets on the Behemoths… otta make them harder to kill, I guess. Any fighters out there should take note of this. Besides this, not much… Although I have an excellent quote from good ol' Argie. Ahem. 'What. The. #$%^ing. #$%^? ' For context, that was his response to my miraculous return from the dead. God, what an idiot. Anyway, stay safe and spread the word. Zöld out._"

Ami stood, walking towards the door. "I'll just go with you," Vincent said, standing up as well. Ami nodded as they walked outside. "So what's got him so excited?"

"No clue… Estu? Where'd you go?" she called out. Estu opened the window of the Nibelheim inn, grinning from ear to ear. "Hm… Estu, what's up?"

"I know what to do now! We need to find Zöld. Pack your stuff, we've gotta go!" he said, ducking back into the room.

"…What?" she asked Vincent. He gave no response, curiously watching the window. Ami sighed. "Great, my brother's gone crazy… If you'll excuse me, I need to go talk some sense into him." She walked inside and Vincent quietly followed. In her room, Estu was running around, already gathering her things up. "What the hell are you doing?" Ami asked.

"Packing. We need to go soon, I have to find him," Estu answered.

"Why?" she asked.

"Because he's that kid I met in Junon! Er… Tommy? Tod? Toasty? No… well the name's not important. What's important is that the files were his dad's to begin with! If he knows how to decode them too-"

"And how do you plan on finding someone Deepground couldn't even track down?" Vincent asked. Estu opened his mouth to speak, but realized he hadn't thought that completely through.

"…Um…Crap. Well, I guess… Can't you figure out where signals are coming from? It I did that, I'd be able to find him," Estu said.

"That's why it took four days to catch him. He used signals that couldn't be traced somehow. It was on the news," Ami said.

"…Stupid news…" Estu muttered. "But they found him, so there has to be some way, right?" he asked.

Vincent shrugged. "I'm not too good with modern technology. Maybe you should ask Cid."

"The grumpy old man knows more about technology than you?" Ami asked.

"…I'm a bit older than I look," Vincent admitted. "And Cid's a bit younger than he looks, for that matter."

"So are you guys, like, the same age?" _Not even close…_

"…Not exactly… Maybe we should get back to the house?" Vincent suggested, changing the subject. Estu nodded, already half way out the door.

* * *

><p>"You know who Zold is? That's… interesting," Cid said.<p>

"Like I said, I met him in Junon," Estu said. He had all his hopes on the pilot now. The hope that he'd be able to tell Estu where Zold was. Cid lit a cigarette, thinking about how to solve his predicament.

"Well, if he was using police radios, they'd be untraceable. See, what happens is the signal actually inturupts and overrides everything else, so-"

"I don't really care how it works, just tell me if there's a way to find it!" Estu said impatiently. Ami gave him a quick slap on the back of his head.

"Be polite."

"Don't hit me!" he protested.

"Well stop being a little jerk and apologize," she scolded. Estu sighed, muttered a quick apology, and listened to Cid's speech on how the police radios worked.

"So, is there anyway to find him?"

"Well, there's only radios like that in three places I know of – Shinra HQ… which is pretty unlikely, Junon – the one he was using before, and Rocket Town."

"…Rocket Town?"

"They installed the radio towers for the… space program… which didn't get used… Anyway, they mighta been in good enough shape to use, and Deepground probably wouldn't think to look there, so if Zold's smart, and he's using the same radios, that's where he is."

"…Really? Thank you! That's so… wow!" Estu said, smiling.

"No problem," Cid said. "Happy now, Vince?"

Vincent nodded then turned to Estu. "So now what?"

"Now what? I've gotta get up there!"

"How come?" Cid asked.

"Ah…" _Oh crap, not again!_ "Well, I … um…"

"He's just worried about his friend Zold," Ami answered for him.

"Right. I'm worried."

Cid shrugged, "If you say so, kid."

Estu nodded. "Um… you all are leaving soon… aren't you?"

"Bout an hour from now," Cid replied.

"I see… if it isn't too much trouble… could I ask you the favor of taking me up to Rocket Town with you? I know you've done so much for me already, but…" Ami suddenly nudged his arm. "Hang on a sec, Ami. So… I'm pretty much begging. Please? Just this one last trip and I won't bother you again. I'll even head back here on my own once I've found him."

The kind hearted pilot gave a slight smile. "Can't say no when you put it like that, kid. One way trip to Rocket Town it is."

"Thank you," Estu said. He turned back to Ami. "Just a few days and I'll be back for good. I promise."

She crossed her arms, looking annoyed. "…If you don't come back this time I will murder you."

"Love you too, Ami," he replied._ Just one last trip… just one._

"Well the kids will be glad to get a couple more days with ya," Cid said, starting towards the airship.

Estu nodded, following. He paused for a moment, looking back at Ami. She quickly ran up and hugged him. "Ami! God! Let go already!" he said.

"You better come back, okay?"

"…Okay. I will, I swear. Meet me halfway on the other side of Mt. Nibel?"

"Sounds good. I'll expect you there… when?"

"Hm… a day to get there…. A day to find Zold, a day to talk to him, day to travel there… four days after tomorrow?" he said.

She nodded, "You'll have to tell me about it, all right?" She turned to Vincent. "Um… if it's not too much to ask, can you make sure he stays safe?"

"I'll keep him safe from as much as he'll let me," Vincent replied. Ami nodded, then, trying to hold back tears, gave Estu a slight wave as he and Vincent walked off.

_Just a few days… All my answers lie ahead of me. I'm sorry, Ami, just put up with me while I go on this one last quest._ Estu looked ahead at the edge of town, his resolve renewed, now ready for anything. Even though he knew that what he found would hurt… _no, don't think that. Keep moving._ It was all he could do now – keep moving.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Between some traveling to relatives' houses and hopefully acquiring some contraband fireworks, this chapter is probably going to be all I have time for this week. Anyway, I'll post again as soon as I can. **


	28. Chapter 28

With Nibelheim behind them, the group set off for Rocket Town. Vincent stood in the control room, overlooking the mountains they flew over. "Good thing we don't have to make our way through that mess again," Tifa said.

Vincent nodded, he remembered their first trip through the mountain range clearly. While he had no trouble trekking through the craggy peaks, it had been a long tiring few days for everyone else. And he'd learned that Mt. Nibel held a more sinister meaning for both Tifa and Cloud. Not that he knew the significance back then… they didn't really want to speak about what had happened after Tifa's mother died, and he didn't pry. Well, he didn't really talk to anyone back then anyway, so it would have been difficult to pry even if he _had_ cared. But he did sense their unease, more from Tifa than Cloud. Cloud's past wasn't quite what he thought it to be, after all.

"Good riddance… these mountains are annoying," Denzel muttered. "And they're just the most annoying part of that stupid town."

"…You know I grew up in that stupid town," Tifa said.

"Yeah, and I grew up in sector 7. It's gone, but I'm not all mushy about it."

Tifa shot the boy a concerned glance, but he ignored her, staring at the mountain range. She walked to the edge of the control room. "I'm going to go see how Yuffie's doing. It's been a few days since we've had to fly and I doubt all this mountain wind is helping her motion sickness."

"Gave her a tranquilizer… should be alright," Cid said, raising the ship's altitude to clear a taller peak. Tifa heard him, but left the room regardless. Cid narrowed his steely eyes, sparing Denzel a quick glance. "You know, kid, you really need to get over whatever's between the two of ya."

"What d'you mean by that?" Denzel asked.

"You've hardly talked to Tifa lately. I dunno why, but she's the only family you've got. Probably shouldn't distance yourself from her."

"She's not really family," Denzel said quietly.

"You never thought that before Cloud… " At the mention of Cloud, Denzel stiffened, hiding any emotion he may have had under a stoic poker face. Cid paused, noticing Denzel's sudden unease. He lit another cigarette as he thought about what he'd just said. "You don't wanna be reminded of Cloud, do ya?" Denzel said nothing. "Is that why you've been avoiding her? That's probably the shittyist reason you could have, kid."

Denzel ignored Cid, pulling his goggles over his eyes. "Look, kid," Cid continued. "I know what it's like losin' someone you care about, but what you're doin' ain't fair to you or Tifa. Do ya think Cloud would want-"

"It doesn't matter what he'd want. He's dead," Denzel said, quickly walking out of the room. Vincent noticed a bit of fog gathering in his goggles.

"…Shit." Vincent and Cid sat in silence for a moment. "Vince… I know you never gave up on Spiky-"

"I still haven't," Vincent said quietly.

"…Right… you still haven't… But … Am I a replacement Cloud?" he asked. Vincent gave no response, but the answer was pretty apparent. "I can't be the kid's father… he knows that, don't he?"

"I don't think he does," Vincent said.

"…I'm gonna have to talk to him later. I know… I know a lot of y'all used to look to me as the group's 'dad.' But… I can't do the long term parental thing… just ain't in me."

"I see," Vincent said. "But he seems to need someone to fill that roll right now."

"But I _can't,_ Vince," Cid said. He flew in silence as they approached the most dangerous part of the mountain range. "I need to concentrate on this. Get out for a while."

Vincent stood and stepped out of the room, even though he knew that Cid could fly through much trickier paths with his eyes closed. He could tell that for the minute, Cid wanted to be alone. A feeling he understood quite well.

* * *

><p>"I hate flying," Estu said. The few hours since they'd left Nibelhiem were probably the worst since the storm over Gongaga. He felt as though his insides were coiled into knots, and his heart threatened to leap out of his chest at every turn and dive. He held on to the ladder of the bunks, trying to remind himself he was relatively safe. It wasn't working too well.<p>

"So how come you stuck around?" Marlene asked. She'd been pretty happy he'd be staying just a bit longer, though he didn't tell her the reason in front of everyone else. No need for anyone aside from Cid, Vincent, and her to know, anyway.

"I figured out that-" A sudden gale of wind rocked the airship and Estu felt his grip on the bunk's ladder tighten. He took a deep breath before continuing, "I figured out that I knew Zöld from Junon. He might be able to help decode my files. If so-" Another bout of turbulence hit. "What the hell is Cid doing? Is he actively trying to give me a heart attack?"

"I don't think he even knows you're scared of heights," Marlene pointed out.

"I'm not scared, I'm just- Eep!" Estu closed his eyes as the ship shook. "…I'm going to be sick…"

"…So why do you 'hate' flying so much?"

"I've had dreams about crashing a plane since I was about your age," he admitted, still holding on to the ladder. "I've never liked heights. Never. I can't even remember not being scared of them."

"…It's kind of weird that you are, considering Sep… um… never mind," she said.

"I'm not him," Estu said again. He'd been saying it a lot lately. Desperately trying to believe it was true… clinging to the tiny hope that Vincent was wrong. _But the evidence against me's been piling up for days now… for someone who so desperately seeks the truth… _"I'm not him." _Kid, you've gotta stop running away from your problems. _He didn't know where that voice had come from… at least he couldn't remember ever hearing it. But it sounded a bit like something the pilot from his dreams would say. _He's not real. This is what's real. A stupid dream isn't going to help me._

* * *

><p>"So how's she doing?" Vincent asked curiously. Tifa and him watched as Yuffie stared at her fingers, pupils widely dilated from the effects of the medicine.<p>

"Vinnie… look, they're like little birdies… little purple formulas!" she said, words a bit slurred. She laughed at her own absurd observation as she wiggled her fingers, pretending to make them fly.

Vincent stared at her, then shot Tifa a quick glance. "Well, she's pretty happy," Tifa noted. "Can you watch her a bit? I think Cid may have given her too much tranquilizer…"

"But she seems just fine," Vincent deadpanned. Yuffie looked out the window, grinning with strange drug induced glee.

"Vinnie, there's a dragon! It'll breath fire and we'll all blow up," she laughed. Vincent glanced out the window, spotting a harmless mountain bird. "But there's no need to fear, Vinnie, the GREAT Ninja Yuffie will save you."

"That's nice, Yuffie," Tifa said, walking out of the room.

"Get a camera," Vincent said as she slowly shut the door. He heard a quiet laugh from Tifa as Yuffie looked at them in confusion.

"…Are we making… a movie? I'm camera shy, Vinnie, I already told you?"

Vincent nodded, deciding he would humor her, "Of course… So how does the Great Ninja Yuffie deal with her adoring fans?"

"She…. Hehe. I mean I just go…. WAH!" She made the motion of throwing a star. "Then I take their materia… " She started giggling. "And when we make our movie… I'll have to get more stars… and I'll be a star… So… I'll… Throw myself?" she asked. "They'll never see that coming, huh, Vinnie?"

"I doubt it, but you should probably come up with a backup plan, just in case."

"Um… You can… um…" she started giggling again. "You can take your coat and go 'WHOOSH!' And it'll distract them… Can I see your coat? I'll show you." Vincent nodded, quickly shrugging it off. Yuffie gripped the sleeves and waved it around a few times. "See? 'WHOOSH!' And then… I'll throw myself, and I'll be a star… what's the movie about again, Director Valentine?"

"A materia hunter," Vincent answered.

"I don't think I can get into that role… what's my… motivation?" she asked, looking oddly serious.

"You hunt materia…"

"Oh good… I like materia. I like blue… and purple… and green… and… um… yellow and red. Your eyes are red, too." She paused, staring into his eyes, utterly fascinated. "Vinnie, you have very pretty eyes… They're like… um… sunsets! They're pretty sunsets… wait, why's there two suns?" She looked out the window, making sure there was only one in the sky. "There aren't two… why're there two?"

"You tell me," Vincent said, doing his best not to laugh.

"Our movie is in… Another dimension! And there's two suns that are always red… except when they aren't… then they're another color like… purple?" She thought about it for a moment. "Yes, they're purple. Purple's a pretty color… you should wear more purple instead of black."

"Purple and red?" Vincent asked.

Yuffie imagined him for a few minutes, and then laughed again. "You'd look like an old lady! Don't ever wear purple, okay?" He nodded. "No, promise me you'll never wear purple. EVER."

"I promise I'll never wear purple," Vincent said solemnly. Yuffie nodded, then stared at her hands again.

"…My fingers are… like birds… If they wore purple they'd be like … Formulas!" she said, laughing.

Vincent chuckled at her as well. Yuffie stopped suddenly, looking at him. "Did you just laugh? That's ridiculous, you can't laugh. I must be high or something…"

"She took WAY too much, but it won't kill her," Tifa said, reentering the room.

"That's a relief," Vincent said. "She's quite entertaining at the moment."

* * *

><p>Estu sat closer to the fire than normal. As they traveled further north, the air had grown colder, and around him, the normally bright autumn colors he'd been seeing were replaced by browner leaves. The current plan was to camp for the night, then fly the last three or four hours in the morning. Marlene had already made him promise to give at least one more lesson with magic that night, something he was making a plan for.<p>

He noticed that Yuffie and Vincent were sitting next to each other, something Vincent tended to avoid doing, but he didn't seem too bothered. Why, he didn't know, since Estu himself found Yuffie ridiculously irritating… though that could just be because of her insistence of not using his name. Either way, dinner passed as it normally did, a bit of playful fighting among the group, a lot of jokes that Estu didn't quite understand. But he didn't ask. He knew he didn't belong with them, and knew that he'd probably never get everything that had happened between them, so he didn't bother.

The only thing that seemed off was Denzel, sitting between Marlene and Yuffie, unusually quiet.

Estu decided to get a few hours of sleep between dinner and the fighting lesson, so he walked alone up to his bunk room for a quick nap. As he lied down and shut his eyes, he thought he could hear a strange noise in the back of his mind… alien but familiar at the same time. He dismissed it as his imagination as he drifted off.

_The black haired boy was leaning against the wall in the hospital hallway. The father had left, instructed an assistant to bring Tine back home whenever he could, but the older brother stayed through the night, sipping from a cold cup of coffee to keep himself awake. A loud clock on the wall opposite of him counted the slow seconds. Outside, the sky had grown dark… or at least, darker than the typical Midgar sky as night fell. It wasn't until around three in the morning that a nurse stepped out of Tine's room._

"…_You're his brother?" The boy nodded, heart pounding with worry. "He's stable," the nurse said. "He's still going to need to stay for a while but… well he's not dead yet. He's a fighter."_

"_So… he's okay?" the boy asked._

"_He's stable," the nurse repeated. "He's never going to be 'okay,' you know. Keep him from exerting himself from now on."_

"…_I'm sorry… it was my fault. I shouldn't have let him…" he paused, holding back the guilt that weighed on his heart. "Can I see him? Please?"_

_The nurse sighed, but nodded, letting the black haired boy into the room. "Tine?" he asked uncertainly. The younger boy's eyes were shut and strange respirator was over his mouth. "Tine… Are you awake?" The boy opened a pale brown eye and weakly nodded._

"_I'm up…" he murmured, fogging respirator over his mouth. He shut his eyes again, taking an unsteady breath. Memories of the attack rushed back to his brother's mind. He felt horribly guilty for letting Tine get into trouble._

"_Tine, I'm sorry… I wish I could've done more to help… then you wouldn't be here." To his surprise, Tine shook his head. _

"_You tried…. Thanks," he said curtly, lifting the breathing device just enough to speak. "I… I owe you. I'll make it up someday." How? I don't even know if you'll… if you'll… The black haired boy nodded._

"_Just… don't die on me. You're all I've got."_

"_You've got father… he actually cares about you," Tine said quietly. It broke his older brother's heart… such a young boy, but he was acutely aware that he wasn't exactly loved by his own parent. Not that he didn't try… he always tried. I need to help him, the black haired boy thought, I owe him that much._

"_I'm… I'm going to make him treat you better. I promise. Can you forgive me then? Will you still hate me?" he asked shakily._

"…_I don't really hate you. I just don't like you," Tine said tiredly._

"…_That's the same thing."_

"_Not really … I'm going to sleep now, okay?"_

"_Okay," the black haired boy said, walking silently out of the room. "Good night, Tine." Please don't hate me…_

"I don't hate you, Estu," Marlene said.

"Was I talking out loud?" Estu asked, sitting up.

"Um… yeah. Who's 'Tine?'"

"…Just a figment of my imagination," Estu answered. They quietly got off the ship and moved under the covers of the trees. Estu flipped his knife open and quickly carved a circle into the bark of one. "All right, target practice."

"Again?" Marlene asked.

"You need it," Estu pointed out.

Marlene nodded, and quickly got into her fighting stance, black magic armlet clamped around her wrist. She fired ice spells at the tree, actually hitting it dead center a few times. Focusing herself, she shot a powerful blast at it, making the tree fall right over. Estu and Marlene both ran back, and were startled by the loud sound of the crash. He turned to her, nodding in approval.

"Now that," he said, "is how it's done. I think… I think you're better at magic than me now. Nice work."

"Really?" she asked. "…So now what?"

Estu looked at the fallen tree, still a bit proud of her progress. "I guess you just keep practicing… there's not much more I can teach you." Marlene nodded, adjusting the armlet holding her materia. "Listen… I'm taking off as soon as we get there tomorrow… So… this might be the last time you really see me in a while." He paused, putting his hands in his coat pockets. "I… I'm not going with you guys anymore. I don't belong with you, but… I just wanted you to know… Thanks," he said awkwardly, turning his back on her.

"…Thank you, too," she replied.

"The lessons were just so you wouldn't blab about me. Don't need to thank me," Estu said, starting back towards the airship.

"No… not that," Marlene said. "Thank you for… just being there… paying attention to me. For… being my friend when I needed one. For protecting me and worrying about me… I think… I think you would've made a good older brother, Estu."

He shrugged. "Yeah, but I'm not… Tine isn't real." He looked up at the stars overhead. "I think that after the next few days… well I don't know. I wish I could just turn away from all of this."

"You know… Our friend Cloud lived for a while, thinking he was someone he wasn't. He didn't like what he found out about himself, but… he made it through everything."

"He's probably a stronger person than me, though," Estu said.

"You're actually not that different from him… you don't give yourself enough credit," Marlene said. Estu nodded, though he didn't really believe in what she said. "So… is this going to be 'goodbye,' then?"

"I'm not good at goodbyes, but… yeah. I guess it is."

"Well…" Marlene said, "I'm glad I met you. Not just 'cause you saved me in Costa del Sol, either."

Estu smiled. "I'm… glad I met you, too. …Well, good night, Marlene." She nodded as they stepped back onto the airship.

* * *

><p>Vincent jumped at the sound of a crash outside. He quietly walked up to a window and saw Estu and Marlene had knocked a tree over. He rolled his eyes and sat back down on the bed. <em>Well… she's gotten better, I suppose.<em>

Everyone else was still sound asleep so he closed his eyes, listening to Estu's and Marlene's conversation. He knew that he would need to talk to the boy, but… he didn't quite think it was time yet. Best to let him find out on his own… whatever he may be. Then… if he let him… Then Vincent would explain why he'd helped. _Would that help him? …Will it help me? I'm sorry… Lucrecia. I couldn't save you or your child, but…_

_One last chance_. If he failed this time… Well if he failed, not much would really change for him. Unlike Estu… Knowing what had happened to Sephiroth, Estu's search for himself worried Vincent. And after what Sephiroth had done… he imagined the boy would have to go through a lot more than him. Dealing with the fact that he wasn't entirely human… something he already seemed to be struggling with, then on top of that, dealing with the fact of Sephiroth himself… Estu held such a deep hatred for the man… just the mention of him seemed difficult, for whatever reason. And he still denied that they had anything in common. When Estu learned the truth, when he finally accepted it… Well, Vincent desperately hoped that history wouldn't repeat itself.

But no… if he failed this time he'd still feel the weight of his sin, but he'd rebury it again. Not think about it. Keep… well not living, but existing. He looked over at his friends, fast asleep. _Living_… maybe that was what he was doing now. Even though he didn't feel he had much of a purpose in life aside from this quest to defeat Deepground. In times of peace… he was lost.

_Not so different_... It was easy for him, telling Estu he needed to figure out what he wanted. But their similarities didn't make helping the boy easier. Didn't make helping himself any easier. _…Maybe I'm just broken beyond repair… funny… I know what happened wasn't entirely my fault. Hojo's been dead for years… why do I still feel the need to make amends when I know I don't need to?_

"I'm… glad I met you, too."

_And he doubts his humanity. …But, then again… I doubt mine sometimes_. Perhaps they both needed to look past what made them unhuman. What made a human anyway? The body? The soul?

He looked over at his sleeping friends, each of them as human as could be. "…Purple…" Yuffie murmured in her sleep, no longer delirious, but apparently dreaming nonsense none the less. Vincent cracked a smile in spite of himself. Perhaps what really made someone human were these connections… family, love, friendship. If that was the case… maybe there was hope for both of them. Maybe Vincent didn't really need forgiveness to keep going, keep living.

After all, there was only one person left who didn't forgive him.

…_Such a selfish reason to help someone…_

* * *

><p>"<em>So, I heard about your little brother," Ace said. A few weeks had passed and they were now looking over orders for his second mission. "You doing all right?"<em>

"_I'm not the one who's sick," the boy said._

"_So what's wrong with him?"_

_The boy looked down. "Our mom got really sick when she was pregnant with him. He was born… well a long time before he was supposed to be, and she… I'm sorry." He rubbed his eyes, then quickly slipped into the stoic façade he'd been perfecting. "She died when he was born and ever since then, Tine's been really weak… It's some rare thing… I can't even pronounce it. Apparently it's some sort of Mako sickness.. but why would he have that? Father never really cared that he's sick, so… I took care of him as best as I could, but he got mad at me… called me a showoff… Resented me." Ace gave him a slight look of pity, something he rarely was generous enough for, as the boy would find out in years to come._

"_I wish… I wish there was something I could do," the boy continued. "You were right… I haven't got any friends so he's… He's the only person in the world I've got… and he doesn't even like me." The boy sighed, then decided to change the subject, "But… what about you? You haven't talked much about your family."_

"_Not much to talk about. Got my folks, my older brother, nephew. And, well, there's my girl," he blushed at the last bit. "Prettiest in the world… Alicia… isn't that the most beautiful name? I'll marry her someday, I just know it."_

"_Didn't strike me as the romantic type…"_

"_Just because I don't wear my heart on my sleeve doesn't mean I don't have one," Ace said. "You ought to remember that. It's alright to show you care about people, especially those close to you."_

"_Not around my father… is it horrible to hate him?"_

"_Well… I dunno, he doesn't seem like the best guy in the world. He's a doctor, isn't he? Why doesn't he help your brother?"_

"_Because… hm… I don't know. I think he could if he wanted to. I know he did… something to me… something to make me stronger."_

"_That bother you?" Ace asked. The boy wondered if it should. The memories of the cramped training facility still haunted his nightmares, but as far as he went… well as far as he could tell, he was just a bit stronger than other people. Nothing to resent anyone for._

"_Not really, no. Anyway, what if my father could just do the same to my brother? If he could… Tine would be happy, then, right? And he wouldn't hate me. And Father wouldn't hate him since he'd be strong. Then we'd all be happy, right?"_

"…_That's sort of a simplistic view of things. Fixing your brother isn't going to fix your family."_

"_But it might!" the boy said. "That's it, from now on… that's my goal in life. Helping Tine… maybe if I do well enough on this mission, I can make my father see."_

_But he was only met with disappointment. As the years went on, the boy worked harder and harder, becoming something of a secret weapon for Shinra, and Tine grew sicker… One of his father's assistants told the boy, now a young man, really, that at the rate Tine's health was deteriorating, he probably wouldn't live to see twenty. But he couldn't let that happen. It took a lot, but eventually, the father was convinced… Tine was only a bit past ten years old… his brother sixteen…_

"_Help him… or I'm done with all of this. I don't care about what you think… I just care about him."_

_The idea of losing his favored son managed to push the man._

"_Fine… but know this, son: whatever comes of this was exactly what you asked for. It's your responsibility."_

Cid flew the airship again in the morning. Now there were only a few hours left… just a few hours then Estu could find Zöld. But each passing minute seemed longer than the next as he impatiently waited.

* * *

><p>"How'd we get here? I can't remember anything that happened yesterday," Yuffie said, looking around the airship in confusion.<p>

"Well you can blame Cid for that," Vincent said. The pilot glared back at the two before returning his attention to flying.

"…Cid, what did you do?"

"Nothin'! Just gave you a #$%^ing tranquilizer so you'd shut up about feeling nauseous," he said.

"To be more specific, he gave you _his_ dose for tranquilizer," Vincent explained. "So you spent the day acting a bit… oddly."

"Oh, great! Thanks a lot, Cid!" she yelled at him. Yuffie turned to Vincent. "Was it bad?"

"In a word… yes." She groaned, looking beyond embarrassed. "Actually, I wanted to film you, but Tifa wouldn't let me. Such a pity… there were quite a few highlights I'd like to see again."

"Jerk!"

"Just returning the favor… you're always so happy to annoy me," he said.

"Well you know what? You're…. arg! Jerk!"

"You should be pretty pleased with yourself… actually managed to make me laugh."

"…You laughed? Ha! Cough it up, Cid! Five hundred gil!" she shouted.

"Doesn't count unless there's a witness," Cid said.

Vincent looked at the two, trying to figure out what they meant, then… "You had a bet on whether or not she could make me laugh?"

"No!" the both answered innocently. Or at least, as falsely innocent as Cid and Yuffie could sound. Vincent shook his head at the two.

He looked out the window, seeing the outline of the Rocket Tower on the horizon. "Home sweet home," Cid said, flying towards the town.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: All right, one last transition type chapter where nothing really happens. Sorry about the fillerish nature of this, but there won't be so many from this point on. The **_**Shera**_**'s a much better airship than what they've got now. Also, yes – High-as-a-kite Yuffie was way too much fun for me. Needed a bit of comic relief in an otherwise reflective chapter.**


	29. Chapter 29

Estu quickly got off the ship the second it landed. He didn't want to stick around any longer… after all, he'd already said goodbye to the one person who mattered.

He looked around at the small town, quickly getting his bearings. It was a humble place – a few houses, a few shops. It looked as though it could be one of the many little towns that Estu had lived in, but he knew he'd never been there. One look at the most outstanding aspect of the town, the Rocket Tower, told him that much. Yet, even though he couldn't remember ever being there, the town seemed a bit familiar, almost in the same way that Nibelhiem had been. Estu looked up at a radio tower, near the old rockets and began walking towards it.

Despite the town's relatively small size, Estu noted that it seemed fairly prosperous. All the buildings looked recently renovated and shiny planes sat on the tops of many roofs and front yards. Maybe if he didn't hate flying so much, he could appreciate the craftsmanship on them. He glanced at one, _The Alicia_, and felt a sudden rush of déjà vu. _Just a coincidence… It's not real._

He shook the feeling as he walked on, up to the radio tower. As he entered the adjacent building, he saw that the entire place was eerily quiet and looked abandoned, but a single handprint was on the dust on the elevator. _Someone's been here recently_. Zöld would need to come back to make the broadcast, so Estu would just have to intercept him there. So the second long wait of the day began.

* * *

><p><em>And he's gone… just like that.<em> Well, either way, Estu had gotten what he wanted, so he was done with them. Vincent decided that if he needed to, he could find Estu later.

Tifa and Yuffie stepped off of the airship as well, looking around at the small town. Denzel, still unusually quiet since the previous day, had announced that he was staying on the airship. Marlene volunteered to stay with him. Perhaps she would be able to help cheer him up. She was fairly good at that, after all. Cid stretched as he stepped out of the airship, inhaling deeply as he did. "Ah… the sweet smell of jet fuel. God damn, I missed this place."

"You could've come back here instead of staying in Edge," Tifa pointed out.

"Yeah, an' think of how lost y'all would be if I did!"

"Or you could've just brought _Shera _to us and we wouldn't have had to take the long way," Yuffie said.

"Yeah, yeah… C'mon, let's get up to my house," Cid said, starting towards his home. Vincent looked ahead at Cid's house, as well as the mighty airship behind it. Cid smiled as he opened the front door, letting everyone inside. "Shera? I'm home!"

Vincent saw as a very meek looking woman poked her head out from the kitchen. "Cid?" she asked. Seeing her husband, she quickly walked up to him. Cid extended his arms, expecting a warm welcome. Shera lifted her right hand, slowly bringing it up to the side of his face… and slapped him. Cid's cigarette fell right out of his mouth. He stared, utterly dumbfounded. "Cid Highwind! Do you have any idea how worried I've been?" Shera asked.

"…Miss me?" he asked, rubbing his cheek.

"Shut up," she said, walking back to the kitchen. Cid glanced around to Vincent and Tifa as she boiled water and made several cups of tea, setting them on the table in a not quite gentle fashion. She gestured to them, looking at Cid expectantly.

Cid smiled at her, "Hey listen, I'm sorry I didn't-"

"Don't talk to me right now. I'm mad at you."

"But-"

"I said don't talk to me."

"…Sweetie?"

"Just sit your ass down in that chair and drink your goddamn tea!" she shouted. Cid did. Quickly. Shera turned to the rest of the group and spoke much more nicely. "Hi everyone. Nice to see you're all safe and sound."

"Good to see you too, Shera…" Tifa said, looking over to the still dumbstruck Cid.

After several moments of awkward silence Cid finally found his voice again. "Shera?" he said.

"Still mad at you," she replied, walking upstairs.

Cid glanced over at Vincent. "Did that really just happen?" he asked.

"I believe it did," Vincent answered, sitting down to a steaming tea cup.

"…Damn," he said, looking at the stairs. "…Has she gotten hotter since I last saw her, or is it just me?"

"How exactly am I supposed to answer that without making things even more awkward?" Vincent asked, giving Cid a withering look. Cid shook his head, taking a sip of tea. _Home, sweet home…_

* * *

><p><em>Wonder when he'll show up. <em>Estu boredly played with the leaves of a plastic plant. He sat behind it, slightly out of view of the front door. The radio tower lobby was otherwise quite empty and aside from the little marks in the thick layer of dust, there were no signs of it being used in some time. Estu wondered what exactly he was going to say to Zöld, though he supposed he would simply ask for his help in a straightforward manner. Though asking for that boy's help would be difficult… Estu remembered how he'd tried to get inside his head. He was dangerously perceptive, that much was certain.

Estu perked up at the sound of a door opening and two people quickly rushing into an elevator. He stood, looking at the already rising elevator, more than a bit annoyed. _Missed them… looked like they were in a hurry._ He walked up to the elevator waited as it reached the ground floor again. Stepping inside, Estu examined the buttons. They were all quite dusty, aside from one. He pressed it and rode up to the floor that they were sure to be on.

As the doors slid open, Estu looked down a long stretch of hallway, ending in a room where two boys stood. He saw that the two, Zöld and some unknown boy, were setting up equipment. Or rather, the unknown boy set up equipment while Zöld leaned back, watching. "All ready, Walt?" Zöld asked, apparently unaware of Estu. _Should I say something? _

"Yeah, hang on a sec," the other boy said. "Okay, go."

"This is Zöld, voice of the guy who's still trying to find a new tagline. Today, Deepground has announced plans to eliminate as much verbal communication as they can within their lower ranks. Guess they think they've got a spy or something… In fact, they forbade anyone below a certain rank to speak of this memo… shows how well their new policy is gonna hold up, huh? Anything to keep me from listening to them… It's not going to work though, so no fear."

The same rapid, smug voice that Estu remembered from Junon. He hadn't even recognized it underneath all the distortion. He listened as Zöld continued, "Anyway, also announced today from Weiss himself – the Junon file thief's reward for capture is increasing sixfold. The kid's got a higher bounty than AVALANCHE now, pretty impressive, all things considered. It should be noted that Weiss wants this guy alive… so…yeah. Also a search for the two Turks is being conducted after they apparently liberated Corel. Cool stuff. Also, for those interested, Argento is referring to one of the two as, 'that redheaded jackass.' …So you talking about yourself, too? On that note, stay safe and spread the word. Zöld out."

He leaned back as the other boy cut off the recording, giving a thumbs up. "Argento hasn't been as quotable lately… a bit disappointing, don't you think, Walter?"

The other boy shrugged then glanced down the hallway, finally spotting Estu. He nearly dropped the computer he held. "Whoa! It's that guy!"

"What guy…?" He looked down the hallway, then smiled his smug smirk. "Well, hello again, Estu." Estu did nothing, looking at his feet to avoid Zöld's eyes. "So… crazy seeing you here. Something up?" he asked calmly. Much more calmly than anyone else Estu knew could have managed.

"I… I need your help," Estu said, still looking away.

"…Huh. So why exactly should I help you?"

Estu blinked, quickly glancing up at him. The boy's purple tinged eyes were unwavering. Zöld was dead serious. "Well… I don't… what do you mean?"

"Well, Estu, if that _is_ your _actual_ name, the way I see it, you owe me quite a bit." Estu's eyebrows knitted together. _What's he talking about?_ Zöld, as though sensing his confusion, continued. "You see, Estu, you ruined my life. It was you who got my uncle involved in those damn files. You were there when he died."

"It wasn't my fault! Deepground attacked him!" Estu said.

"Yes… but would they have if he could've simply handed the files over?" Estu swallowed nervously. _My fault? Was it my fault?_ "If that's not enough, your advice ended up getting me captured. I honestly thought I… I thought I was going to die. Have you ever sat face to face with Weiss? Argento? They're quite frightening, I'll tell you that much." Estu remembered both of them… they did terrify him. The boy had to endure that? …_My fault?_

"If _that's_ not enough, you got his family caught up in all this," he said, gesturing towards his friend. "They would've been fine, except you screwed that up for them. They had to leave their home because of you. My only family is dead because of you. Why, exactly, should I help?" He glared at Estu, looking hurt. "Haven't you done enough? It was all your fault."

"…It was… my fault?" Estu asked. "No, I didn't mean for… I didn't mean for any of it to happen."

"Does you not meaning it bring my uncle back?" The boy's voice shook as he spoke, sending another pang of guilt through Estu. "So what the hell do I owe you? You tell me that."

"…I … I'm sorry… I just… I…" Estu felt himself shaking. He'd never stopped to think about what the Junon boy would go through. "I'm sorry… I am… is there anything I can do to make up for it?"

"You want to make up for it so I'll help you? What a selfish reason. You just don't have a soul, do you?"

"No, I'm really sorry. If I could go back… I wish I could've saved him…. I'm sorry," Estu said, close to tears.

"…What did you want, anyway?" Zöld asked, turning away. Estu noticed his shoulders shaking a bit. _Holy crap! No… No… I'm sorry! I'm sorry!_

"It's just… these," Estu said, holding out the files. Zöld looked at them, shaking his head.

"Those damn things? That's where all of this started! You expect me to help with those? What do you even need my help for?"

"Th- they're coded… I can't… I'm sorry… But… I need to be able to read them."

"Why?" Zöld asked coldly.

"…I can't tell you, Zöld... I'm sor-"

"Did you just call me Zöld? I only use that name in the broadcasts… why don't you use me real name?" he asked.

"I… I can't remember…" Estu said quietly.

"You don't even remember my name? You _ruin my life_, but you can't even remember my _name_? What sort of a horrible person are you?"

"I'm… I'm not… I'm s – sorry," Estu stammered.

"Why should I help someone like you?"

Estu's shoulders drooped as he stared at the ground. _Why should he help…? Everything I've ever done has been for me… How many people have I hurt without realizing it? Even if I'm not him… god… I'm awful and I didn't even realize. Why should he help me? _"You shouldn't…" he admitted. "I'm… I'm not a good person… I don't deserve it. I'll just leave… I'm… I'm so sorry…" Estu started back towards the elevator, when the boy suddenly called out to him.

"Wait a bit… I'll help you."

"You'll… what?" Estu asked.

"I'll help you… even though you don't deserve it. If I didn't, I'd be just as bad… so I'll help. Here, give me the files." Estu did, looking up at his eyes for a brief moment. "…But you owe me."

"Of course! Anything, I'd do anything to help you… I owe that much after… I'm sorry," Estu said.

"Mhmm…" he stuck his hand out as he looked over the files. "Tony Hopkins. Since you obviously forgot that much…"

"I'm sorry… It's not you, I've just got a really cruddy memory."

"Do you say that to all the people whose lives you ruined?" Tony asked, drawing his hand back when Estu didn't shake it. He quickly flipped through the many pages, giving each one a quick look before moving on.

"…What are you doing?" Estu asked.

"Just making sure they're all coded," Tony said, still flipping through.

"…They are. I've looked through them more times than I can count."

He shut the files, then gave Estu a cold hard stare. Estu forced himself to look up at Tony's still watery indigo eyes. "Why should I believe you? You've already established yourself to be a liar and an amoral ass," Tony said. Estu looked down, upset with himself. He couldn't bring himself to argue with that one. "Let me look over these this afternoon, and then we can meet at the inn tonight to decode them."

Estu couldn't say anything, though he thought he should probably thank Tony. He just couldn't get the words out though, making him feel that much worse.

Tony watched, rubbing his eye and speaking in a cold voice, "You still owe me… especially after… Can you leave me alone for a while… I need to go. C'mon Walter," Tony said, walking towards the elevator but still flipping through the unreadable pages. Tony's friend looked up, quickly following. He shot Estu a quick glance of pity… one that seemed oddly familiar to him. Estu shook the feeling again as he sat down on the floor, regretfully thinking about the pain he'd caused.

* * *

><p>"You asshole," Walter said as he and Tony exited the building. Tony looked up at him wiping the false tears from his eyes. Walter looked furious, morally outraged at him. Tony had to resist the impulse to roll his eyes at his friend's anger. "What was the point of that? Poor kid nearly started crying!"<p>

"He isn't a 'poor kid' he's the reason my uncle… my uncle… is dead," he said, faking despair.

"Cut the bullshit. You and I both know you don't give a damn about that!" Walter said. "Even if all that _was_ partially his fault, you shouldn't blame him if _you_ don't even care!"

"Why's that? Was anything I just said a lie?" Tony asked.

"…No, but…"

"Exactly, so there's no reason to get upset with me," Tony said. It was a logical argument; one Walter seemed to partially agree with.

"I guess," Walter said. "But why did you do it?"

"He owes me now. Which means I've got another good piece for my game."

"This isn't a game anymore," Walter said. "There's actual danger here. When you were just a harmless voice on the radio, that was one thing, but you've inspired riots, torn people apart, and now that kid-"

"You always knew that this could start fighting, why are you upset now?" Tony asked.

Walter shrugged, but seemed to know it was true. He knew that Tony planned on riling people up from the beginning. "…I'm not that upset about that, really… it's just… is this right?"

"Of course, Walt." Tony adopted the hopeful tone he'd been perfecting and continued, "Everything I've ever done was for the greater good, right? How am I the bad guy? I mean… you said yourself, you wanted to help me so you could become a hero. I've saved countless lives with my information. What about when I risked my skin to warn entire cities about Deepground's attacks? What about when I told people ahead of time about the Stratus soldiers and the Behemoths? I've done a lot of good, you know. I think, in the grand scheme of things, making one kid upset to further my goals isn't that bad."

"…It feels wrong." Walter kicked a pebble in front of him as he walked towards the house they were staying in. "Can you at least go easier on him? He seemed so sad." _Well that was the point… I had to break him before I could make him do anything._

"I'll only do what I have to. This is something heroes have to do sometimes to save the world. Make the tough choices, think of the world as a whole and not individuals," Tony said. "We're heroes, you know. So we've gotta make these decisions. Even if it hurts a few… it helps so many."

"You're starting to sound like Violet," Walter muttered.

Tony flashed a winning smile. "Come on, best friend. Do I really remind you of that bitch?"

"No… not really. Sorry," Walter said. "Sorry… I guess you're the one with the plan. Just… never mind. Do what you need to."

_Don't worry… I will. Everything I've ever done… well, at least it looks like I'm a selfless individual. Above good and evil. _He gave Walter another smile, though he still looked conflicted. _Of course, just mentioning the heroics of this got you on my side… Estu thinks he owes me now… and I think he'll make quite a nice pawn._

* * *

><p>Shera came back downstairs after a while and listened as Cid explained the situation. Cid started to light another cigarette halfway through, but Shera shot him a venomous look. He set it, unlit, into his mouth as he finished the story. After all he said, Shera still looked a bit ticked. "You could have called me," she scolded.<p>

"A lot's been going on, honey-"

"Don't 'honey' me. I can't believe you just ignored me like I don't exist. You've gotten to be a real ass lately, do you know that?"

"Yeah, well… you've gained weight," Cid countered.

"Well I am pregnant."

Cid's cigarette fell out of his mouth for the second time that day. He blinked a few times, as though trying to figure out an alternate meaning to Shera's words. "You're… what now?"

"Pregnant…Cid, are you okay?" she asked. Cid looked utterly confused, then a look of genuine shock flashed over his features.

"…You mean you cheated on me? How could you?" he asked.

"It's yours you idiot!" Shera shouted.

"I haven't been here in months!"

"Yeah, and I'm over three months in!"

"Oh, now you tell me? ! Thanks for the #$%^ing warning!"

"I TOLD YOU BACK IN EDGE!"

"I WAS #$%^ING DRUNK!"

…_Oh… this isn't good_. Vincent, at a loss, turned to Tifa and Yuffie. Tifa, first to regain calm in awkward situations started towards the door, motioning for the others to follow. "We'll just step outside then while you two catch up," she said as evenly as she could. Shera and Cid didn't seem to hear her.

"Maybe if you hadn't decided to drink so much, this wouldn't be such a shock!"

"You know what had just happened! Do you honestly blame me! ?"

Tifa, Yuffie, and Vincent ran out of the house as quickly as they could. Vincent put his hands in his pockets. "…Well then…" he said, looking back towards the door.

"This is a bit… different," Tifa said. "Um… in the wake of Cid's… inability to lead today, I'm going to put myself in charge for the time being. Let's start moving our supplies onto the _Shera_."

"The keys are in the house," Yuffie said.

"…You wanna get them?" Tifa asked.

"Hell no. Do you?"

"Vincent, go get the keys," Tifa said. Vincent gave her a look, clearly asking if she was completely insane. Tifa seemed to get the message. No one would go back in until things cooled off. "Well …I'm making the decision to take a day off," Tifa decided, giving Cid's house a last glance before walking away.

"...You know, we've faced all sorts of scary stuff," Yuffie said.

Vincent nodded in agreement. "We have, but you still couldn't pay me to go in there right now."

* * *

><p>That evening, Estu walked down to the inn, still thinking over what Tony had said. <em>I'll just have to make it up to him… at least he's still going to help me. <em> If Estu had come all the way there just to find another dead end, he didn't think he'd be able to stand it. He walked down the quiet streets, looking up to see a few clouds gathering in the evening sky. As he entered the lobby, Tony looked up at him. "Go ahead and pay the lady," he said, waving towards the woman behind the inn counter.

"I'm paying?" Estu asked.

"…Oh, did you expect me to? After everything you've done? Well… I guess…"

"No, don't… I've got it covered," Estu said, pulling his nearly empty wallet out of his pocket. _…Crap… I'm almost broke. _ He handed a hundred gil to the woman and looked sadly at the last of his measly funds still in his wallet. She handed him a key, thankfully without asking any questions about his age or what Tony was doing with him.

"So, I looked over the code, and it's definitely one of my dad's encryptions," Tony said as they walked up to the room. Estu nodded, opening the door. "Anyway, he always liked these little puzzle type encryptions, sometimes he's leave little clues about passwords for me and I'd have to decode them… ah… good times."

"So what do you think the password is?" Estu asked, sitting on the floor of the inn room. A fire crackled in the hearth near him, putting him at ease.

"Well… Knowing that this was something he was probably hiding from his co-workers, it would be something they had to be unlikely to figure out. But! Given that he gave these to my… my uncle…" he paused, wiping his eye. Estu looked down, angry at himself again. "Ahem… since he gave these to my uncle, it had to be something either me, him, or my mother could figure out. But since my mom is… well I'd rather not talk about that, and Mark's dead… I am literally the only person who could help with this."

"So the password is?" Estu asked.

"Hang on, I'm getting there. Now, my father would probably have the password as a secret to his co-workers, but he often used his hobbies as passwords. Some people use pet's names, or childhood streets, he always used hobbies."

"…So the password?"

"I'm getting there!" Tony said. "Now, the hobby would have to be something secret, something a bit embarrassing. Something no one except those closest to him would know…" Tony paused for a long time. Estu tapped his fingers along the floor, growing impatient with him. Tony watched, a bit interested. "…You know Weiss does that, too."

"I don't care! What's the damn password?" Estu asked. Tony looked down. "Er… sorry. I'm sorry, it's just… continue your story?"

"Anyway, something he wouldn't share with people at work… ha… sorry, this is a bit awkward. I swear, you wouldn't think he'd be into this…" Estu immediately hoped that he wouldn't have to try to wash whatever this awkward hobby was out of his brain. "You see, he was into… god, this is embarrassing. He liked _fortune telling_." Tony said the words as though they were horribly taboo.

"…Fortune telling?" Estu asked, relieved. "That's not so bad."

"Are you kidding me? He was a scientist, Estu! A scientist! What sort of person of intellect would subscribe to the vague guesses of psychics?"

"But fortune telling is sort of fun, even if you don't take it seriously," Estu pointed out.

"Obviously, you aren't a person of intellect, then," Tony said.

"I'm not stupid. I just have a bad memory," Estu protested. "So the password?"

"Simple, it's tarot. You know, like the cards?"

"…Tarot? That's it?"

"That's it," Tony replied. "Already tried it, decoded the first two pages." He showed Estu the pages in question.

"Name - Tsviet, Weiss I. Occupation- Shinra Biotech Doctor… wow, this has a list of his work and everything!" Estu said.

"Yup, now then… Oh hi, Walter!" Estu glanced back at the mousy haired boy now entering the room. "Anyway, the rest of the files here are…oops!" As he pulled the files out, they fell, right into the fireplace. "Well… that's unfortunate."

"No!" Estu shouted, diving towards the already burning paper. "No! NO!" Without thinking, he plunged his hand into the flame, trying to grab them back.

"What the hell are you doing? !" Walter pulled Estu backwards, but not before he burned his hand. Estu cried out in pain, but still tried getting at the files. "Stop, don't! They're gone." Walter said, holding on to him.

"NO! EVERYTHING WAS THERE! _EVERYTHING_!" Estu shouted, watching as the files crumpled and turned to ash. "No! …No! Please, I need them! I need them!" He tried making another dive towards the fire, but Walter held on. "...No... I need them..." Estu said, tears pooling in his eyes.

"Here, let me see your hand," Walter said, gently. For once, Estu didn't care that a complete stranger was touching him. He stared at the fire pit as the files – the one thing that kept him going, that he'd come so far just to be able to read, the _one thing_ – burned. "…Ow… here, I've got potion… hang on." Walter rummaged through a bag as Estu stared into the fire.

"…This can't be happening… not after all this! Please, no…" His hand hurt… not as much as he hurt, though. He started sobbing as he watched flame dance across one of the droplets of his blood that had gotten on the cover. "Not after everything! …I can't… I can't…"

"Sh… it'll be okay," Walter said, applying potion and bandages to Estu's hand. "…What was in there?"

"My life! Everything I've ever wanted to know! Everything… it's all gone…" Estu said. "It's all gone…" Walter bit his lip, giving Estu a sympathetic look as he finished bandaging his hand. "It's all... everything's gone..."

"…Tony, cut the damn act and tell him you can still decode the files," Walter said, suddenly angry.

"…It's gone…" Estu said, wiping his eyes with his uninjured hand, far too depressed to be embarrassed. "It's all gone."

"Actually, I've still got it. Right here," Tony said, tapping his head. Estu looked at him, confused. "See, luckily for you, I've got an eidetic memory."

"A… what?" Estu asked.

"In layman's terms – photographic," Walter explained. "He can remember anything he sees… or hears for that matter."

"…Really? That's amazing!" Estu said.

"Actually, it's pretty irritating," Walter mumbled.

"So… what you can just remember? How does that even work?"

Tony grinned smugly and began reciting a long stream of letters. "Stop! That's so annoying," Walter complained.

"How can you say that? I wish I could do that!" Estu said.

"Yeah, but you don't have to listen to him all the time," Walter said. "Anyway… He can just write the code down, then translate it. We've done that sort of things with notes and invisible ink at school."

"Wow… thank god for that…" Estu said.

"Thank good genetics," Tony corrected. "Anyway, if I'm going to do that… I'll do it tomorrow, and I'll give the newly translated files to you tomorrow night." He laid down on the bed. "So, I'll need a good night's sleep, which means you need to scram."

"…But I paid for the room," Estu said.

"Ah, who's helping who again?" Tony asked.

"Tony, you were going to stay at my family's place," Walter pointed out.

"And room with your brother and cousins? No thanks, I'll just sleep here."

"…It'll be alright… I'll find someplace else," Estu said, standing up.

"…Well alright then… I'll walk you out, I guess. Later Tony," Walter said.

"Later!" he called back.

Walter shut the door of the inn room, looking a bit cross. "Sorry. Tony's kind of an asshole."

"What do you mean? He's helping me," Estu said.

"He's using you. You know that, right?" Estu blinked. How was he being used? "He purposefully guilt tripped you so you'll help him later if he needs it. I usually just go along with his schemes but… He usually manipulates people who deserve it, or who at least can put up a fair game. Bullies, teachers… never kids though. …How old are you even? Just curious."

"Er… Fourteen?" Estu said. Walter didn't look quite convinced. He looked down, avoiding the teen's eyes. "…I don't know exactly. I'm not even sure what my birthday is."

"…When you said your life is in there?"

"It's none of your business what I meant," Estu said, stepping outside.

"Calm down. I'm just trying to help… Just take everything Tony says with a grain of salt, okay? I don't even trust the guy sometimes."

"Then why are you friends?" Estu asked.

Walter paused, thinking the question over. "Well… I guess it's because if I wasn't his friend, I wouldn't have any… Sad, isn't it?"

"…I can relate. I've only got one friend. She's a good person, though, so I guess I'm lucky," Estu said.

"Really? Well I guess that's about right… he said you kept to yourself when you were trying to get the files."

"Er… yeah," Estu said awkwardly. Walter and him walked for a while, Estu not really sure where he was going, until Walter stopped. Estu looked out at the house with _The Alicia_ in the front yard.

"This is my house… you going to be okay?" he asked. Estu nodded. "Okay… Later."

"Later," Estu repeated. He gave the mailbox a quick glance before walking on. "Walker…" he said under his breath. _Just a coincidence? I guess it has to be._ He walked on to the radio tower building. At least in there, he'd be protected from the elements. And he'd have the plastic plant to keep him company. _…Pathetic_. Yet, just a few weeks ago, he wouldn't think anything of it. He supposed he'd gotten a bit used to having a warm bed to return to each night… a blazing fire… company.

_Just a few more days… I'll get the info I need and go… home?_ He didn't have a home, but… wherever Ami was… that was the closest thing. He lied down on the dusty floor, closing his eyes. _Cold hard linoleum… comfy_. "Good night plant," he said. The plant, of course, didn't return the sentiment.

…_Just a few more days. Tomorrow night…_ He took a deep breath, turning and trying in vain to get comfortable. _Tomorrow night… that's it… my search is over. _And whatever he found out… that was what he'd have to live with. Dread and anticipation in equal measure… it would be a miracle if he managed to sleep. One night… one day… then all he'd worked towards for more than a year would be in his grasp.

_What the hell do I do after that?_

* * *

><p>It was later in the evening when the yelling match finally stopped. Vincent and Yuffie looked up at the abrupt end. They'd decided to stay close by so they could tell Tifa when it was safe to enter again. A very haggard looking Cid stepped out of the door. No one spoke for a moment as Vincent and Yuffie waited for him to say something. "…Don't just stare at me. Get your asses back in here," he said, before slamming the door shut again.<p>

"Sounds okay," Yuffie noted.

"The shock must have worn off," Vincent said. "…I hope they'll be alright… Shera seemed furious with him…"

Yuffie grinned, "That's because she loves him, stupid. She and Cid just don't express it the way most people do. Especially Cid... haha, Papa Cid, I guess."

"That was supposed to be love? I always thought things had changed in thirty years…"

Yuffie laughed. "Yeah, well… she wouldn't worry if she didn't care about him, you know… which means that when _you_ get annoyed with _me_-"

"I'm getting Tifa, you go on in," Vincent interrupted, quickly walking back to the airship.

"Oh don't pretend! You think I'm awesome, don't you?"

"So, if I answered 'yes' now, what would that _actually_ mean?" he asked. Yuffie paused, puzzling that one over as Vincent walked away.


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N: There are two things about this chapter I'm going to say up front. Estu and Vincent aren't the only two perspective guys again. Instead it goes, in order – Vincent, Estu, Walter, Marlene, Estu, Vincent, and…Estu again…. Yeah. I hope that's not confusing…The second thing is that this… gets… um… let's just say it gets gradually darker throughout. Figures **_**Vincent**_**, of all people, gets the comic bit at the very beginning. I'm trying to deliver a warning without giving anything away… hm… Just, those with more sensitive souls may find this… disturbing. Sorry.**

* * *

><p>Vincent rose early the next morning. As the guest bedroom was a bit on the small side, he and Yuffie had to camp out in the living room. Yuffie sprawled across the couch while Vincent had tried to sleep on an old chair. Ever since the incident with the Proto-materia, he'd taken to resting near her. So far, it had worked well. He hadn't sleepwalked once. He wish he'd known that before, when the close quarters of the airship's bunks had forced them together anyway, but… well a lot of things would have been better to know before.<p>

Cid walked downstairs in the morning, looking still exhausted. "Ya know, Vince, I had the weirdest dream last night…" Vincent nodded, flipping through the early morning news channels on mute. "Dreamed that Shera was knocked up."

"…She is."

"…Oh shit! That wasn't a dream?" Cid asked.

"Well, either it was a strangely vivid collective hallucination, or no, it really happened," Vincent said. Cid stared at him. "It wasn't the first scenario… so…"

"Yeah, I got it."

"Got wha-?" Yuffie asked, finally waking up. "…Oh hey, Papa Cid."

"Don't start that," Cid said. "Shit! Shit! What the #$%^ am I supposed to do?"

"They make books and crap for this. Need us to get you one?" Yuffie asked.

"Shut up. This is #$%^ing madness, alright! ? Not something some god damn book can help. …I'm going to be a father?"

"Congratulations," Vincent said, still flipping channels.

"Shut up."

"Perhaps when this is over Tifa can organize a baby shower," Vincent continued.

"#$%^ you," Cid said.

"What's got you so upset, Papa Cid?" Yuffie asked.

"I would guess hormones… though it's usually the woman that has to deal with those, isn't it?" Vincent asked.

Cid grit his teeth and glared at Vincent. "Say another goddamn word and I'll murder you."

"…Well, if you managed that it would be _impressive_, all things considered," he replied. Cid flipped him off and stomped back upstairs. "He seems a bit on edge," Vincent observed.

"Think he'll do the crazy panicky new dad thing?" Yuffie asked. Vincent chucked at the image. "Damn it! Don't do that unless I have a witness! How the hell am I supposed to win the bet?"

"So you admit to the bet, then?"

"…No. I admit nothing." He gave her a look. "Um…" she hid behind a pillow. "You can't see me. I am a ninja."

"Right…" Vincent said. He stepped outside, first grabbing the keys to the Shera. Yuffie, no longer 'invisible' followed, though she seemed less than enthusiastic about getting an early start moving everything onto the massive airship.

* * *

><p>Estu, not having much to do, looked around the radio tower building. Though any enjoyment he would have had in exploring the many floors was lost in anticipation of that night. "Maybe… Maybe this will all turn out alright," he said, glancing over at the plant. It gave no answer. "I mean… there's always the off chance that… that… hm…"<p>

He paced, looking around the lobby. "Well there's the chance… there isn't a chance, is there?" he asked. "Okay, but… At least I'm not… talking to inanimate objects… great." He quickly shut up, trying to find another way to pass the long hours.

* * *

><p>Walter looked up at the inn, quickly entering. Tony sat on the bed still, eyes closed, looking as though he were in deep concentration, occasionally reaching out and mimicking the flip of a page. "Tony?"<p>

"Mmph… made me lose my spot…" he muttered, opening his eyes. "Something up?"

"We still doing the broadcast?" Walter asked, gesturing to his backpack.

"Oh… not today. After yesterday, Deepground had a total communication shut down. They're still looking for the nonexistent spy. Cool, huh? Managed to stop them right in their tracks." He stood, stretching a bit. "Anyway, it gives me more time to decode… I'm just about done."

"Cool, can I see?"

"Well, no," Tony replied. "I haven't actually written anything down."

"But you said-"

"Actually _you_ said."

"…Why? Why are you messing with him like this?" Walter asked.

"Well, in this case, I think it would be interesting to gauge his reactions to this," Tony replied.

"His reaction to… what?"

"I'll tell you later. Anyway, I'm going to be a bit busy until I'm done with this. You go on and play with Amelia and Ashton or something… I'm sure they're glad to see Cousin Walt."

"I guess… listen, he's just a kid, Tony." Tony suddenly laughed. "…Did I say something?"

"Oh no… you wouldn't understand… go on, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Well, okay…" Walter said, more than a bit worried over his friend's behavior. Who was this kid, anyway? For Tony to give him more than the time of day, he had to be someone interesting. But why? And why was Tony treating him… well not _worse_ than other people. Not by much, anyway. He never cared about other people, but this was beyond what was usual for him to do just for kicks.

Walter walked out of the inn. _Should… should I do something?_ But what could he do? Tony had never listened to him. He believed, perhaps not incorrectly, that he was smarter than Walter. And to Tony, intelligence was everything… outsmarting people had always been a hobby of his, but this was getting ridiculous.

_Well… I did warn the kid about him._

* * *

><p>"Hi, Shera," Marlene greeted, smiling. Shera looked up from a long list of numbers, giving the little girl a slight smile. "So… watcha doing?" Marlene asked.<p>

"Running numbers on the fuel efficiency of the Shera so I can calculate the…." She went on like that for about two minutes. Marlene didn't understand any of it… actually it sounded like a foreign language to the girl. But after an entire day of trying in vain to get Denzel talking, she felt lonely. More lonely than normal. So she nodded, pretending to understand while Shera spoke. _Well… at least she didn't brush me off…_ "But this is all a bit complicated for someone your age, huh? Maybe you should go play." _…Never mind._

"Um… okay, I'll go do that."

She walked off, not really knowing what she could do. Tifa and the others were busy… again. Denzel didn't feel like talking to her… again. She sighed, looking around Cid's house for something fun. There wasn't much. Tifa's house had at least had a few knickknacks to play with, and there was the piano, but here… nothing.

"Denzel!" she called out. Maybe if she kept trying, she could get him to spit out whatever was bugging him. But there was no answer. She ran upstairs, up to the room that she, Denzel, and Tifa were sharing. "Denzel?"

"What?" he asked. He was laying on his back, goggles pushing his brown hair away from his eyes.

"Um… I'm bored…" she admitted.

"And?"

"…Why don't you like me anymore?" she asked.

Denzel sat up suddenly, looking confused. "What do you mean? I still like you."

"You… you're never around. You hardly talk to me or Tifa… how come?" she asked.

"…It's nothing," he said.

"Did I do something?"

"No."

"…Denzel… please tell me what's wrong. I can help. I can-"

"How can you help? Are you gonna use rainbows and crayons to make everything better? Not everyone can be all smiley all the time, you know."

"I'm not," she said, frowning a bit.

"Yes you are! It's all 'wee, look at me! I'm Marlene and I'm just a perfect ray of sunshine! I don't get sad about anything because I'm just cute like that and I don't even care! Lalala!' It's annoying. You're annoying."

"I- I'm sorry," she said. She scuffed the toe of her boot across the ground, looking away from him.

"Do you even know what's going on?" he asked angrily. "No, 'cause you get protection from everything. You've never had to worry about doing well in a fight. You've never had to worry if we're actually going to win this! All you do is play around while the rest of us work."

"I want to help! No one lets me…"

"Yeah, and is that why you're so happy all the time? Cloud is dead. Reeve and Elena and… so many people who fought on our side are dead. Do you understand what that means?"

"Cloud isn't…"

"And you buy all that bullcrap that Tifa and Vincent give you! Do you think any of them are coming back? Do you?"

"I… Denzel, I'm sorry!" she said.

"For what?" he asked.

"For… um…"

See, why the heck do you apologize when you've got nothing to say sorry for?" he asked. "You know who else is dead? Your dad. Do you even care?"

Marlene didn't answer. She ran out of the room, out of the house. She kept running until she ran right into Tifa. Tifa looked down at her, concerned.

"Marlene? Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yes…" Marlene said… then she started crying. She didn't want to cry in front of them again. She knew it made them sad, but… She desperately tried to stop. She really did. Tifa held on to her, as though to keep her safe. They were each other's life line. One thing to hold on to when things got to be their worst. And they both knew it.

But… Tifa couldn't protect Marlene from everything.

And Marlene still felt as powerless as ever.

When they went back inside, Marlene realized that no matter what she did… she couldn't help anyone. She'd never been able to really help anyone. And worst of all… she was alone. With Estu gone and Denzel angry at her… there was no one.

She'd always tried… tried to help in her own way. But it didn't work.

That night, she looked through the few things she'd managed to keep with her and pulled out a shiny gold medal. "…I'm sorry…" she said quietly. "I'm really trying… I am…" she sniffed, rubbing her eyes. "I wish… I wish you'd come back." But wishes and dreams… they were something for kids. And she couldn't be the same kid she was before.

* * *

><p>The distant roll of thunder echoed throughout Rocket town. Estu looked up at the sky, overcast and dark. Ominous… Almost as though it could become a full blown storm at any second. A steady wind at his back pushed him towards the Rocket Town inn for the second night in a row. The streets were quiet, empty, and his footsteps echoed off the road, off walls. Louder… much louder than they should be. He took a deep breath, staring at the inn. Just a building… nondescript… Just like the bar where all of this had started. He self consciously pulled his hat down, almost to the point that it hid his green eyes, and entered.<p>

Met with a bit of heat from one of the inn's fireplaces, he moved towards the woman at the counter. "I'm meeting with a Mr. Hopkins," he said quietly. She nodded, gesturing towards the same room as before, not really looking at Estu. Normally…. Normally that wouldn't bother him. But at the moment… a friendly look… a smile… anything to kill the overwhelming sense of dread, of anticipation, of fear…

He moved towards the door, touching the knob, but paused. _This is your last chance. Do you still want this?_ No. No, he didn't. He _needed_ it. Never had a simple, undecorated wooden door looked so menacing. He opened it and stepped inside.

Tony looked up from a chair he'd placed near the fireplace. Estu saw a bit of soot still sat on the burning logs. Perhaps it was the remnants of the files. Or perhaps not… Tony's mouth twitched as Estu looked over at him, expectantly. "So… the files?" Estu said.

"What about them?"

…Was he playing dumb? Why? "You were decoding them," Estu said. "Could I have them now?"

"…Oh yes… sure you can have them."

Estu waited a few moments, but Tony did nothing. He cleared his throat, trying to get his attention without flat out asking again. Tony smiled, as though oblivious. "Can you hand them to me, then?"

"Hand them to you? Oh no, that's absurd."

"…How is that absurd? You do have them, right?" Estu asked.

"Oh yes," Tony tapped his head again. "Right here. Fully decoded and ready to go."

Estu looked up into his eyes. "Are you joking?"

"Do I look as though I'm joking?"

"…We had a deal. How are you supposed to give me something in your head?"

"Well the option of brain surgery isn't exactly something I like to consider, but I suppose that's a viable way to give-"

"Stop," Estu said. "…That's not what I meant, and you know it. Walter said you could write it down-"

"Yes, Walt said that. Not me."

"…So now what?"

"Now, I read the file you want to you… S-2." Estu swallowed… the inflection of his name was quite clear. S-2… he would have come across it while translating. He knew… and by the look of things, he knew quite a bit more than Estu himself.

"Why are you doing this?" Estu asked.

"Same reason why I do everything. Simple curiosity… alleviation of boredom… You should try it sometime, it's fun."

"Fun? …I'm not a toy, I'm a person," Estu said.

"Oh… are you?" Tony asked.

"…Yes. How long would it take to write everything down?"

"Hm… five, ten days… depends on how motivated I am," Tony said.

"I don't have that long."

"Well," he smirked, "If that's the case… you don't really have a choice but for me to just read these files to you… do you?"

"…I suppose I don't," Estu said, sitting down. "…Go on."

* * *

><p>"-So the ninja says to the chocobo dealer, 'then where's my new summon materia?'" Yuffie paused, looking around the table. "Vinnie, were you listening?"<p>

"No."

"…Okay…" she said. "Why's everyone so quiet today? Hello? Everyone alright?" A few murmured 'yes'es as the group ate dinner. As the rest of the group cleaned up, Vincent noticed Yuffie sneak away. Surprisingly, given her loud and excitable nature, she was, as she always proclaimed, an excellent ninja.

Vincent walked outside with her, watching the sunset over the town, out onto the porch. Clouds covered most of the sky, but skirted around the sun, letting a little bit of light through. She stepped closer to him as day faded into dusk. "Vinnie… there's been something I've been meaning to ask you…"

Vincent swallowed, knowing what she probably had in mind… again. "And that is?"

"Well… are we just friends and that's it… or what?" Vincent said nothing. "I mean… you obviously know how I feel, but… you kinda go back and forth… I guess what I'm saying is-" Vincent leaned down, catching her on the lips as she spoke. Yuffie after getting past her initial surprise, kissed him back. …_Why am I doing this?_ Vincent suddenly drew back, puzzled. "Oh come on!" Yuffie protested.

"I… I don't know what I'm doing…" Vincent said quietly.

"Yeah, I'm sure it's been a while, but-"

"No, you don't understand… I feel like I…This isn't right. What-?" he asked. Something was wrong. Very wrong with this. He felt… strange, but he couldn't quite figure out why.

"…What are you talking about?" Yuffie asked.

"When did we…" He looked around, then down at his hands on his shoulders. The left, without him controlling it, moved down to the pouch on Yuffie's side where she kept the Proto-materia shard. Realization struck him and he quickly stepped back, away from her, but not before his claw clamped down on her arm.

"Ow… what are you-" she looked down at his claw. "….Oh…"

"Just don't move," he said, concentrating on opening his hand. Such a simple motion, but it seemed beyond him. Yuffie winced as the gauntlet squeezed tighter. "Shit…" he said under his breath. _Let go!_ No answer_. Let her go. Now._ Quiet… "I'm sorry," he said.

"…S'Fine," she replied with considerable effort. Vincent looked at her arm to see blood dripping down it. The shock was enough to throw him for a moment and the claws dug in deeper. "Ah!"

"No… Let go! Damn it! Let go!" His arm shook as he tried regaining control of it. "LET GO!" It finally released, and Vincent quickly stepped away from her. Yuffie held her arm, trying to slow the bleeding. "…I'm sorry. Go get someone to patch that up… it's… pretty bad," he spoke in a quiet monotone.

"Vinnie-" she started.

"Please, just get away from me," he said. She did, walking back into the house. The sight of her… scared… hurt… Vincent felt the familiar guilt and self-loathing he'd tried to burry over the years.

_I can't get close to her_… And he was just starting to think that everything could almost be normal. But what was worst… he didn't know which feelings were his anymore and which were illusions. That scared him more than anything. And he was still capable of hurting the ones who mattered most. First Cid… then… Furious with himself, he looked at the blood, the crimson droplets still on the tips of his talons. _Monster_… He clenched his fist, looking back at the front door of the house. _I'll just… keep my distance. Just like always._

**Same old Vincent?**

"Shut the #$%^ up."

He looked out at the sky, now dark with storm clouds. He watched as a boy in a black hat made his way to the Rocket Town inn.

* * *

><p>"Project S-2…" Tony began, "enacted not quite four years before Sephiroth's untimely death, was an attempt to recreate him… the perfect soldier. It had long been noted that he had abilities far superior to the others, though whether that was due to the earlier exposure to mako and Jenova cells, or due to simple superior genetics was still up for debate. So… Seven perfect genetic copies of him were created. In order to test which of these would be the most ideal replacement, each one had a slightly different experiment to go along with their training and such, aside from Number One, who was simply a control… raised in the same manner as his predecessor."<p>

Estu took a breath, looking down. _So… it was true… it was all true. I am…_

"What happened to… er… them?"

Tony smiled, "Oh, don't you worry, I'm getting there. A few of the subjects were, of course, failures… Seven, in particular, displayed more of the… how do I say… Jenova- like traits. He was deemed dangerous and was dropped from the main project about four years into the experiment."

"…By dropped you mean…?"

"Disposed of, eliminated…"

"They… killed him?" Estu asked.

"Well, when you say it like that-"

"They killed a _child_?" Estu asked, horrified.

"They killed a lot of children… you have seen the world you live in? I mean, the third class SOLDIERs in the Wutaian war alone… But that's beside the point, isn't it? Besides, 'child' isn't the word I would use. It was a monster." The last word reverberated through his mind. Estu felt himself shaking. This was worse… worse than what he'd prepared for.

Tony continued, "These files only have information until five years ago… but in a foot note… I believe this was my uncles handwriting… must have been keeping tabs back then… He noted that after Rufus Shinra took over the corporation… He ordered for the project to end and for all results to be scrapped."

There was a long pause as Estu realized the full implications of Tony's words. "He had all of them killed…" Estu said. Tony shrugged indifferently, but nodded. "But… they had to have only been seven or eight years old! They murdered them! ?"

"And your point? It's not as though they were real people, after all… just copies," Tony said. "Murder… murder is to kill something real. Just as theft of a beautiful piece of art is quite a crime… Murder of a person is something unimaginable. Theft of a copy… or a poster of a piece of art… well, it's simple shoplifting. Not good, by any means, but hardly evil. They weren't real people… just replicas."

"Not … real…" Estu said. It was all he ever was… all he'd ever been. A copy, something unoriginal, not real. A plagiarized version of a person. That was all.

"Anyway… that's about all. The project was scrapped… the only real benefits came from the understanding of certain test conditions from Numbers Two through Six. Aside from that, it was a waste of time and money. A failure."

_Failure… But what about the numbers?_ Estu tapped his fingers across the floor, trying to compose himself before speaking. "…Tell me about Number Four," Estu said.

"…Number Four? Why so specific, Estu?" He acted as though he didn't know, but Estu could tell… he could tell he knew exactly why.

"Just… tell me."

"Well… there's not much to say about Four. It was deemed a bit of a failure as well… not quite as strong as the others. Not by much, of course, but when you demand perfection… well I suppose it was to be expected. Four is such an unlucky number."

"What happened?"

"Since number Four was deemed a bit weaker, it was designated to be a test subject in one of Dr. Weiss's subprojects. You've heard of the LFT units, I assume?" Estu nodded, it had been mentioned by a few people before the battle in Cosmo Canyon. Zöld had made a broadcast about it. "Well… this is quite interesting, by the way, but as it turns out, LFT stands for Life Force Transfer." He let that one sink in.

"In other words, moving life force from one body to another. Life force allows … well life, but it also holds things like free will, intelligence… things like that. Minor transfers of the life force away from an individual can create very docile or very obedient people. A little more and you have someone with some thought, but essentially a programmable machine… which is what they were going for. A little _more_ and they'll be completely mindless. A little _MORE_ and they're dead as a door knob. It's a tricky balance… one I'm sure Weiss has been perfecting since then, but…" He laughed. "Poor little copy…"

"…What happened?" Estu asked again.

"Well… the balance hadn't quite been perfected yet. They took… a bit _too_ much. Not enough to destroy the clone, but a vegetated state… Either way, they attempted to rectify the problem, transferring the life forces of … well those who wouldn't otherwise need them. A few condemned criminals… they were fairly expendable… not as much as the copies, of course, they were _real_ humans. But it was approved. Not that it did much. Four never quite recovered. Even if it had... All it would be would be a mismatch of souls… even less complete than its brothers."

Estu felt his throat tighten. "That's… that's…"

"Quite a shame… it would be interesting to see more of the effects of the machine. Unfortunately after that little failure, the project-"

"But… Number Four…"

"What about it? Like I said, it's not as though it was a real person. Ha… less of a real person than the rest. Just a bunch of souls cobbled together in a body that was a perfect copy of another's… not an original bone in its body… literally. Don't bother with pity for something so… wrong, so inhuman. Even if it wasn't just a copy, much of its DNA… well, have you ever seen Jenova? All tentacle- y … the calamity, they called it. Which would make them the spawn of the calamity. Anything that was produced from that inhuman abomination-"

"Inhuman…" he whispered, feeling sick.

"Artificial body… artificial soul even. Nothing there to even recognize as a person… Something wrong, Estu?" he asked, feigning innocence. Estu struggled to control his breathing.

"…So… is that all?" he managed.

"Like I said, it only goes up to five years ago. But yes… unless you'd like to hear about the others? Seven had quite an interesting… if a bit short… story."

"No… later… I'm…" He shook his head. "I'm just… going… now." He walked out of the room as quickly as he could.

"Thought we were having a nice conversation!" Tony shouted as he left.

_Inhuman… A copy… Not real_… Estu walked through inn, the keeper again not sparing him a second glance. But why should she? It wasn't as though he was a real person. _Artificial… not real… a perfect copy of Sephiroth… only not… a failure… less than the others_. Rain began to drizzle as he walked out of the inn. The accusing voice in his mind still shouting what he was - _A copy, not real! Not even a soul of its own! Wrong! Inhuman!_

He ran. He didn't know where he was going. He didn't care. The rain grew heavier and heavier, thunder echoing through the town. _Not real! Not Real! Monster! Not even human! NOT HUMAN! _A flash of lightning! The rain poured. Estu felt as though the world was crashing down on him. Did it care? Why should it? _Abomination! Inhuman monster! Soulless pretender! MONSTER! WRONG, INHUMAN ABOMINATION!_

"Please make it stop…" he said out loud. But the lightning, the torrential downpour continued. _S-2… a failure… a failure… a failed copy of Sephiroth. A copy of Sephiroth. A copy! A clone! _"No! Make it stop!" _Why should it? Do you deserve it? 'Do you even have a soul?' 'Which are you?'_

Rain like ice numbed him. He couldn't feel a thing outside, but inside… the tormenting voice screamed at him. Every fiber of his being hurt. _Make it stop! No! Why should it? Inhuman monster!_ He covered his ears, shaking his head. _Please make it stop! I can't take it!_ Tears gathered in his eyes, making it hard to see. _Monster! Abomination! 'Spawn of the Calamity!' Copy! Worthless Copy! _"MAKE IT STOP!"

In the darkness of the night time rainstorm, the boy in the black hat stared in front of him. Drenched, shivering, speaking to himself… "Why should it stop? I'm not even real… Why would the world care for someone like me?"

"…I can't… I can't…" _I didn't want this! Not this! _He fell to his knees, rain pounding on his back. "Why? What's the point of it all?" he asked quietly. "Why am I even alive… why am didn't they kill me?"

_Why didn't they? Should they have?_ …_It's not as though they were real people… it's murder to kill a real human. Don't waste your pity on something so wrong, so inhuman._ Estu felt his hand move towards his sword. _They weren't real people, just replicas... something so wrong... so inhuman..._

Seppuku… he believed, was the word in Wutaian. That was an honorable death… he was anything but honorable, but…

He drew his sword… a wakizashi… it was the right kind… just the right kind. It wasn't as though he was real… it hardly mattered. He pulled the blade up, centering it where his heart was. His hands shook, his heart pounded, he could feel himself hyperventilating. _I don't want to die... do you deserve life?_ Monster. Copy. Pretender. _Just do it before you pass out… _He swallowed… then…

A flash of lightning illuminated a silhouette. Estu dropped the sword. "Dad?" he called out. He blinked his eyes a few times, trying to get past the blindness that accompanied the flash. Takashi hadn't come back from the dead, though. It was only Vincent. He watched Estu… red wary eyes, suspicious eyes. Estu looked away, picking his sword up and sheathing it. "…I'm sorry… I thought you were… never mind."

"You're drenched," Vincent said, matter-of-factly. His eyes looked over Estu's sword, but he said nothing about that. "You're going to catch a cold if you stay out here."

"I've never had a cold in my life," Estu said.

"…Well now isn't a good time to have your first, is it?" Vincent walked up to him, extending his hand. "Come on… stand up."

"Why? …Just leave me alone."

"No." Estu looked up at him. Such a simple but firm answer. No. He wouldn't leave. "Come on, then," Vincent said. Estu slowly reached up and took his hand, letting Vincent pull him to his feet. Vincent looked him over for a moment, then tilted his head in the direction of a house. "Come on… you should get inside. This is a pretty bad storm."

"…You were right," Estu said.

Vincent nodded solemnly, understanding exactly what he meant. "Let's go inside, okay?"

"Why?" Estu looked up at the rain, still falling as hard. "What's the point?"

"Just come in for a bit. …Now." It was forceful… but not cruel. The man's normally cold voice was colored with just a touch of something softer… something almost sympathetic. "Come on… I don't want to stand in this storm forever." Estu shrugged, but followed as Vincent led him to Cid's house.


	31. Chapter 31

They stepped quietly into the house. Vincent turned to Estu as he hung his coat up. "You look like you're freezing," he said. Estu shrugged. He hung his coat up as well, so it could dry off a bit. Vincent still watched warily, making Estu wish he'd stop. "I'm going to make tea. Give me the sword and pocket knife."

"Why?"

"You know why," Vincent said. "I'm not risking anything if I have to take my eyes off of you."

"I don't-" Vincent held his hand out. "Fine," Estu said. He handed his knife over, but hesitated with his sword. "Do not mess it up." Vincent rolled his eyes as he took it.

"I'll get you a towel first," he said, walking to the bathroom. Estu nodded, sitting down. It was quiet… so quiet in there. Rain still tapped on the windows and roof, but inside it was silent. He stayed just as silent. He couldn't let himself think or feel. At least, he tried not to, but the horrible fear and disgust still radiated through him.

Vincent returned, handing a soft white towel to him. Estu thought he thanked him, but he wasn't sure. Nothing seemed quite real. But he knew now… knew that this _was_ happening, and there wasn't anything he could do to deny or ignore it anymore. He'd never felt so defenseless. Even though he was safe, inside a warm house, he couldn't defend against himself anymore.

"What kind of tea do you want?" Vincent asked.

"I don't know…"

Vincent paused for a moment, looking through Cid's collection. "Well, there's green, white, black, chai, some sort of blend? …Herbal… don't think you want that… chamomile, and something labeled 'Yuffie's Wutai shit.' Cid's words, not mine."

Under normal circumstances, Estu might have laughed at that. "I'll take the last one," he said. He heard the sound of a stove starting and the clinking of tea cups being pulled out of the shelves. "Is everyone asleep?" he asked quietly.

"Yes. They're all upstairs…" Vincent replied. "Yuffie's… she's camping out in the hallway, but she's a fairly heavy sleeper… the rest of them are behind closed doors, so they probably won't hear you." Estu nodded, setting his head down on the table in front of him. Vincent didn't speak again until he'd set a steaming mug of tea in front of Estu. Carefully, he handed the wakizashi back as well. "Don't get any ideas. I'm a lot faster than you."

"I wasn't going to do anything," Estu said, taking a sip of tea. It warmed him up, but it also reminded him of home… well, his favorite homes at any rate.

"Sorry, I'm being a bit cautious after what you nearly did earlier," Vincent said.

Estu looked down at the blade. "I … I wasn't really going to."

"So was that for show then? You had no audience," Vincent said.

"No… I meant… I couldn't. I was too scared."

"You'll have to forgive me for not believing you. Either way, don't do that again. I was under the impression that you have a promise you need to keep." Estu looked up, confused. "You promised your sister you would go back. And I promised I would keep you safe. I have to ask that you refrain from making both of us liars."

"…I'm not going to. Really, I'm not," Estu said.

Vincent still eyed him suspiciously. "Out of curiosity, where did you get the sword?"

"…Why do you want to know that?" Estu asked. Vincent simply shrugged, still waiting for him to tell. "Well… it was exactly one year after I'd started living with my dad and Ami. He'd been training me to fight for a while, but not with weapons. So he took me down to the shop in town… um… it was this little town in Wutai. Not Wutai proper, but a little town in the south. Anyway, he told me that… since I didn't really have a birthday, this would be my present, and he told me to pick something out of the glass case."

"So… they have all these weapons - ninja stars, shurikens, nun-chucks, you name it, it was there. And… there were all these katanas, too. But, I saw this and said… I said it was a good little sword. The shopkeeper said that I'd need to come back later, get a real sword but… I don't know, I never wanted one. To me, this was perfect… and after my dad died… this is something he gave to me. I don't want to let it go."

"That's a good reason," Vincent said.

"It's … a little stupid…"

"No, holding on to something meaningful is completely understandable. Drink some tea." Estu did, taking a sip. "Now… what did you find out?"

Estu looked down, then told him, trying to detach himself from his words. He tried to keep his voice even, but nothing was working. He struggled with that last bit… about him – Number Four…

"It… makes more sense now… everything does. This was the connection between me… Weiss… Hojo… Sephiroth…" Another rush of fear at the very name, but what bothered him most – it wasn't just fear and hatred of Sephiroth anymore. It was just as much towards himself.

At the end of his story, Vincent nodded thoughtfully. "…I'm sorry. I know this is a bit hard for you." An understatement. "But don't think for a moment that this changes who you are."

"A clone?" he asked. The word was still hard to say.

Vincent shook his head. "You are yourself, first and foremost. Estu Matsumoto… understand?"

"I've never used their name," Estu said.

"And why is that?"

"Because… I'm not really family."

"Yes you are. I've seen how much Ami cares about you, how much you revere your father. You're more their sibling and child than anyone could be." Estu shrugged. "I mean that. What you can't seem to see is that there are people who care about you. There are people you love. You have memories and a personality, likes and dislikes, worries, fears… If you aren't a person-"

"I'm not," Estu interrupted.

Vincent sighed. "If you aren't a person, neither am I… I'd rather not think that, though." He paused for a long while. "You called me a freak of nature once…"

"I'm sorry. I was angry at you. I shouldn't have-"

"Well, you were wrong," Vincent said. "At least in regards to 'nature.' There's nothing natural about me."

"…You mean with all the… the healing and powers and stuff? You said it was complicated… a long story?"

"A very long story," Vincent agreed. "But… I think you deserve to know, if that's what you want. It has a lot to do with Sephiroth." Estu cringed at the name again. "So… if you want to know, I'll tell you."

"…Okay. You know my story, what's yours?"

* * *

><p>"It was… thirty five years ago when it all started. I was a Turk back then, and was assigned to a project in Nibelheim…" Vincent told everything, leaving Estu a bit stunned. Vincent had told him his age once, but to actually hear him speak of events three decades gone by must have been strange for the boy. "I confronted Hojo, but… well, he was more than a bit angry and he shot me."<p>

"Shot you?"

"Yes… I'm not sure if I died and he brought me back somehow, or if I was stabilized or…. Or what. But… he experimented on me… made me the… the way I am now." Vincent paused a bit, looking down.

"I was horrified… the first time I transformed. And things only got worse as I realized the extent of the alterations to my body. But… what killed me most was that I wasn't able to protect her… the woman I loved. Lucrecia Crescent…"

"She was his mother, then?"

"Yes."

"And… Hojo was…" Estu seemed to have a hard time speaking.

"He claimed to be, yes," Vincent said.

"…Claimed? What do you mean…?"

Vincent said nothing, continuing his tale. "Four years ago, I thought of everything I did as atonement. I thought I was to blame. But… after a while, I realized it wasn't my fault… but I still felt guilt. It was less, but…" he sighed. "Well, old wounds don't always heal. I continued on, though, not thinking about it… until I met you."

It took Estu a moment, then he looked up. "You… you recognized me. No one else did. But you helped me anyway. Is that what you saw when you looked at me? You never saw him at all, did you? You saw redemption. You saw her."

"I… saw myself as well. I don't want you to make the same mistakes as me. I realize that… things aren't quite the same with us. But when… I realized what… had been done to me… I imagine it was similar to what you're going through."

"…Did you… how did you deal with it?" Estu asked.

"…I don't want you making the same mistakes as me," Vincent repeated, ignoring the question. "I know that right now, it feels like your life is over. That you hate yourself. That you're afraid-"

"You know, you really aren't great at making people feel better…" Estu said.

"Yes, I know," Vincent replied.

"…So did it get better?"

"It…" Vincent thought about it for a moment. _If anything, things have gotten worse… Between not aging and Chaos…_ The events of that evening were still fresh in his mind. The lack of control was what worried him most, and that was getting progressively worse, even with the Proto-materia shard. "No. It didn't," he said honestly. He wasn't one to sugar coat. But that didn't seem to help Estu at all.

"…If I'm supposed to be a recreation of him… am I doomed to end up the same way? Is that my fate? Am I capable of the same things as he was?"

"From what I've gathered from Cloud… Sephiroth was not evil, prior to his insanity. So, if that provides any comfort… You are rather different from him, as well."

"Different? That's not possible. I'm exactly the same. That was the point," Estu said darkly.

"And yet, you aren't… personality isn't all genetic, you know. Otherwise, all children would be like their parents. The human race would be doomed to make the same mistakes… over and over… there would be no progression, no growth… Really, you aren't that terribly different from everyone else."

Estu took his hat off, glaring at Vincent for a moment. "R- really?" he asked. "Are you trying to say I'm normal? _ I'm normal_? I'm _not that different_? Look at me! This isn't something you can compare to nature. I'm… wrong… everything about me is wrong." He swallowed, holding back tears. "A bunch of souls cobbled together in a perfectly copied body. A copied body of someone who was the successor to… that thing. That horrible thing. Didn't the entire planet try to kill it off? Ancient weapons woke up, just to destroy it. His 'mother.' Which would make it mine, too. How isn't that different? How am I not different? I'm a freaking monster!" His fists shook as he stopped.

"…Are you done?" Vincent asked calmly.

"What do you mean?"

"Obviously this is going to take a while… It may never fully make sense, but it is what you have to accept. Wishing things to be different won't help. Hating yourself won't either." Estu looked at him curiously. "…Yes, I speak from experience," Vincent admitted. "But what you need is something to hold on to. Hold onto your own identity, who you felt you were before today."

"But… I didn't know. I never knew who I was," Estu said.

"You were the person who would keep getting up when losing a fight. You were the person who had to know things. You were the person who would risk his life to protect a child he hardly knew… Hold on to all of that. And drink the tea."

"What's with you people and tea?" Estu asked, taking another sip.

"It's a Cid thing…" Then suddenly getting an idea, "What does it taste like?" Vincent asked.

"Um… tastes like tea?" Vincent kept staring him down, prompting him to continue. "It tastes like… there was a tea shop I'd go to with Ami about two and a half years ago. It tastes just like it smelled in there."

"Do monsters drink tea?"

"…What?"

"Do monsters drink tea?" Vincent repeated.

"No, but… that's a false analogy!" Estu said.

"Fine, then tell me, do monsters love their adopted sisters? Do monsters reminisce? Do monsters hope and dream? Do they feel sadness or comfort? …Do you feel all these things? These strictly human experiences?"

"But I'm not… I'm not human," he said.

"By one definition… but what of SOLDIERs? What of those who are born with mutations? Would you deny them the right to call themselves human?" Estu shook his head. "Then why are you harder on yourself?"

"I… I don't know." Estu finished what was left of the tea, glancing out the window. It was still raining.

"You aren't going back out there. Sleep on the couch in the living room tonight. Yuffie's not… she's upstairs, so it's vacant."

"I'm not tired," Estu said.

"You haven't gotten a decent sleep in days," Vincent said.

"Do you think I'll be able to sleep now?" Vincent nodded. Estu sighed. There was no arguing with the man. "Fine," he said, walking over to the couch and lying down. Vincent picked his hat off the table and walked over, handing it to him. "…Thanks."

"You're welcome… please don't try anything stupid when you get back to Nibelhiem. …Actually, I'll go with you to meet your sister. Base of Mt. Nibel, correct?"

"Yeah… but don't your friends need you here?"

Vincent nodded, "Yes but… I need to get away for a bit. It'll only be a day. Now get some sleep."

* * *

><p><em>The man in black stood outside of Nibelheim when he got the message. A new assignment, right outside Midgar. "Very urgent." He rolled his eyes, dialing Shinra's number.<em>

"…_There a problem?"_

"_Yeah, there's a problem. I just got here, how do you expect me to deal with the dragon issue on Mt. Nibel if I'm to report back in in Midgar tonight? I'd have to leave now."_

"_Then I suggest you do that," the president replied._

"_You couldn't just get your golden boy to deal with this? I know for a fact he's not stationed anywhere right now."_

"_If I wanted Sephiroth to deal with this, that's what I would order him to do… are you forgetting your place?"_

"_No… I'll deal with it…" he hung up. "Freaking ridiculous…"_

"_Something up, kid?" Ace asked as he stepped back into the plane._

"_Would you stop calling me 'kid?' I'm twenty-one for god's sake!" the man protested._

"_Aw, you'll always be the same bratty little pipsqueak to me."_

"_Thanks Ace…" he muttered. "We need to head back to Midgar. It's 'urgent' apparently…"_

"_Seriously? We just got here."_

"_I know."_

"_We flew for eight hours!"_

"_I know," the man in black repeated._

"_Because that doesn't look suspicious at all. Arriving in town then leaving right away! That's freaking ridiculous."_

"_I know," he said with a laugh. "Well, we've always said Shinra's an idiot. Let's see what's so 'urgent.' He can just send his precious SOLDIERs to deal with the dragons."_

"_Why he didn't do that in the first place is beyond me. You haven't done simple extermination crap since you were a kid."_

"_Thought I still was a kid?"_

"_No, I said I still thought of you as a kid. It's different," he took a quick swig from a 'world's greatest dad' thermos. The man in black had just noticed it, and smiled in amusement._

"_Cute," he said._

"_Ash got it for me. Alicia and him thought it would help keep me awake while I'm shuttling you everywhere," he said, smiling._

"_What ever happened to the guy who couldn't deal with children?"_

"_He grew up… unlike the kid next to him," Ace said, taking off. _

_When they arrived outside of Midgar, the man in black looked around, holding his short sword tightly. "We're trying to contain a monster… some sort of experiment… highly dangerous."_

"_Which is why I'm staying in here," Ace said, speaking through a link between the plane and an earpiece._

"_Yeah, cause that'll help against something forty tons, sharp fangs…"_

"_Is that what it's gonna be like?"_

"_God, I hope so. I could almost pretend it was Shinra himself, in that case." Ace laughed on the other end of the line. As it turned out, the black haired man's sense of humor was salvageable after all. Though it had still taken Ace some time to teach the art of sarcasm._

"_Alright, go get… what the hell is that?"_

_The man in black looked around, spying what looked like a very small child. A very small child with pale blue skin. He looked up at Ace, red eyes flashing in the moonlight. "Come with me," the man in black said. "Just… get away from the plane." The child that wasn't a child looked over, smiling with strangely pointed teeth. Long tentacles were where his arms should have been. The pulsed and moved, looking like horrible snakes._

"_Well, that's messed up…" Ace said through the earpiece. He sounded only slightly impressed. It took a lot to throw the pilot off. "What is that… thing?"_

"_Dunno…" the man said. "All they called it was 'Number Seven.' Think it understands speech? I was supposed to get it back alive if I could." At that moment, Seven lashed out, trying to wrap it's tendrils around the man in black. They stung his skin where they stuck. "Oh… crap!"_

_They pulled at his arms, squeezing them like constrictors, oozing a horrid green slime that burned and stung his flesh. Gritting his teeth, the man in black hacked at the tentacles with his sword. Seven screamed – an awful sound full of nails on chalkboards and scraping metal mixed with the distinctive cry of a baby._

_It lashed out again, though it now bled, anger doubled with each strike. The man parried and deflected the blows, moving in quick, dance like motions. As the not- child weakened, he used a spell to contain it- sleep. It took a few casts for it to hold, but eventually Seven was out like a light. "Crap… this gunk hurts."_

"_I'll call for Shinra to send the team in…." After a moment, "All right, just gotta stay out here until they get back."_

"_D'you ask what the hell this is?" the man asked, staring at Seven's sleeping form._

"_I honestly don't want to know. Why Shinra would make a monster that looks so human is beyond me."_

"…_Ace… what if this thing…"_

"_Don't go there. If that's got any human in it, I won't sleep. Ever," Ace said. The man stood near it for a few minutes, occasionally recasting sleep. He didn't even look back at the sound of a helicopter behind him. "Oh look… Hojo showed…"_

"_Hojo…" The man turned around. "Hello, Professor." Hojo gave him no acknowledgement._

"…_You hurt my experiment," he said, looking at a severed tentacle._

"_Yeah, well it hurt me," the man replied. He was ignored again by the arrogant scientist._

"_Oh, my little S-2… you're going to end up making them kill you," he said, watching as two assistants put restraints on it. Seven's eyes shot open and it screamed again._

Estu shot up, his stomach turning. He ran towards the bathroom he'd seen Vincent get the towel from and vomited, just barely making it. _Oh god… that thing_… If he had anything in his stomach he would have thrown up again, instead he gagged as he tried to calm himself down. _Breathe… just breathe…_

After a few minutes he stood up, still severely nauseous, and wiped his mouth. The acidic taste of bile was still on his tongue. _That could have been me_, he realized. _That could have been me!_ It was enough to make him feel sick again. He kept reminding himself to breathe, trying to reassure himself. _It was just a dream. Seven could have been… not like that_. But, then again, it didn't matter what Seven had been like. He had been killed.

_I'm alive even though I shouldn't be… I can't… I can't waste my life._ He was actually a bit surprised at this thought. _ I need to live. I need to keep going. But why? _

"Are you all right?" Vincent asked from outside the door.

"Yeah, just fine…" He rinsed his mouth out, trying to get rid of the taste, then walked back to the sofa. Vincent held a book on the history of flight, though he didn't look too interested in it. "I'm… okay."

"…You don't have to pretend," Vincent said, boredly flipping a page.

"Well… fine then, I'm _not_ okay. I just saw the scariest thing in my entire life."

"Cid's bathroom?" he asked. Estu glared at him, shaking his head. "…Sorry, not the best time for a joke. What did you see?"

"Number Seven. And you know what's really scary about that? That's how I could've turned out."

"Then you're fairly lucky," Vincent said.

"Lucky? Really? Lucky? How does that even make sense?" Estu asked.

"…You should get a bit more sleep. I'm going to call the head of the Nibelheim militia… tell them to get Ami to meet us today," Vincent said.

Estu laid back down, doubtful he'd actually be able to sleep after that.

* * *

><p>In the morning, Vincent quietly made his way up to Cid's room. He tapped his knuckles on the door, cautiously looking over at Yuffie, still asleep in the hallway. Her arm was still bandaged from the previous day. Vincent frowned, looking at the talons on his gauntlet. Cid finally opened his door, looking half asleep. "Wha? What the #$%^ are you wakin' me up for?"<p>

"I'm going to be out of town today. I'll be back later," Vincent said softly.

"Where you goin'?"

"Base of Mt. Nibel… may I borrow a vehicle of some sort?"

"Mt… you takin' Estu back?"

"Yes," Vincent answered. "It won't take more than a day… and I really need some time to myself. I'm sorry."

"S'fine, not like we're doin' anything but more diagnostics on Shera… we need to shove off soon, get up to that second shard."

"I know. I'll be back later… so the vehicle?"

"There's a truck in my garage out back. Keys are in the kitchen," he replied, yawning.

"Thank you, Cid."

"No problem," he said, shutting the door.

Vincent stepped away from the door, freezing as he saw Yuffie stir in the corner of his eye. He waited, silent, for her to fall back asleep before moving again. _She would forgive me... She's far too generous sometimes._ Vincent made his way back down stairs to see Estu sitting up and looking somewhat alert. "You ready?" Vincent asked. Estu nodded. "…Did you eat something?"

"Oh… forgot. Hang on…" Estu grabbed two slices of bread from Cid's kitchen, eating them plain. "Don't comment, I know it's weird…" he said, taking a bite.

"I honestly couldn't care less about your eating habits," Vincent said. He picked up the keys from the kitchen, looking at the door. "Ready, now?" Estu nodded. Vincent opened the door and stepped outside.

"Before we leave… there's one last thing I need to do. Could you come with me?" Estu asked.

"Like I said, I'm not taking my eyes off of you for long," Vincent replied.

"I'm not going to do anything! …Really, I'm not."

"What do you need to do?" Vincent asked.

"Tell Zöld where to send the files when he's done writing them down… But I don't want to talk to him by myself… I know it sounds a little childish…"

"I think you forget your age sometimes," Vincent said.

"Are you making fun of me? Look, it's not my fault I'm forgetful…"

"That's not what I meant… Let's get going, though. We don't have all the time in the world."

Estu nodded, leading Vincent to a house with a small plane in the front yard. He walked up and rang the door bell. Estu took a few deep breaths, looking nervous. Vincent briefly wondered how intimidating this Zöld character was. The door was finally answered by a small teenager and a six or seven year old girl, hiding behind him.

"Walter," Estu said, looking a bit relieved.

"Oh… um, hi, Estu. I dunno where Tony is. I was going to find him to make the broadcast later…" Walter trailed off, eyeing Vincent a bit suspiciously.

"Walt, who are they?" the little girl asked.

"Just go back to sleep, okay, Amelia?" The little girl nodded, running off. "…So, yeah… what's up?"

"Well… could you pass a message to him?" Estu asked. "Tell him when he's done writing the files down to send them to the post office in Nibelheim?"

"Yeah, I'll tell him. …Um, are you okay?" Walter asked. Estu looked down, seeming more afraid than before. "I dunno what Tony said to you but… just remember what I said about him, all right?"

"You don't know what he said?" Walter shook his head. "Oh… well could you pass the message?"

"Will do," Walter replied, closing the door. Estu started to turn away when the door opened again, startling him. "Wait! Oh… sorry. Listen, I'm going to give you the number for this house in case you need to contact Tony about anything."

"Oh… well thanks," Estu replied. Walter ran inside, getting a slip of paper and writing his number down.

"There's a shop run in the garage from eight til five, so you'll get them if you call then, but I'm sure you can just ask for Tony. Not much business to interfere with." Estu nodded. "Um… well… take care, I guess," Walter said. Estu nodded again, walking away.

"And this Tony is Zöld?" Vincent asked as they walked back to Cid's house.

"Yeah…"

"And he frightens you?"

"I'm not afraid of him! I could take the guy down in a fight in two seconds flat." Vincent ignored him, opening the garage.

"Hm…" Vincent looked at the truck, dark green and fairly new. It had actually been a while since he'd driven. He unlocked his door, then hopped in with little effort, though it was fairly high off the ground. After unlocking the passenger door, Estu climbed in. Vincent looked at the buttons and knobs, trying to figure out what they were for. _Just stick to the basics_, he decided. Keys in the ignition, the rumble of the engine. That was familiar enough.

"You do drive, right?" Estu asked cautiously.

"Well… it's been a while," Vincent said. "Buckle the seat belt."

"You aren't," Estu pointed out.

"I can't die. You can."

"…Freaking ridiculous," he said buckling up.

"See, now you're being childish," Vincent said. Estu ignored him, tapping his fingers on the window. _Alright… shift into… drive, then gas…_ The truck lurched forward before Vincent instinctively braked.

"What are you doing? !" Estu asked angrily, rubbing his shoulder. _Well, the seat belt came in handy…_

"I said it's been a while."

"Yeah, how long then?"

"…Thirty-four years, give or take…" he admitted sheepishly.

"Seriously? How do you even function? I really don't understand," Estu said, annoyed.

Vincent, after a quick check with breaking and going, finally drove the truck out of Rocket Town. After the first initial issues, it was a smooth ride, and the scenery of the passing plains soon became monotonous. Estu kept tapping his fingers on the window, and only grew louder as time passed. "Would you stop that?" Vincent finally asked.

Estu glanced at his right hand, then moved it away from the window. "Sorry… didn't even realize I was doing it." As he spoke, his fingers drummed across his knee.

"…Stop."

"Oh… crap." He clenched his fists, looking a bit uncomfortable. "I'm sorry… bad habit. Does it annoy you?"

"Yes. A lot, actually."

"…Sorry. I'm not even sure when I started doing it… I think I always have."

"So was there any clue about the amnesia bit?" Vincent asked, looking ahead at the foggy road.

"Think you should turn the lights on?" Estu asked.

"Don't change the subject," Vincent said. He wasn't quite sure where the lights settings were anyway.

Estu sighed, looking out the window. "I assume it had to do with the life force thing. Tony said it held intelligence, so maybe it holds memories too. Anyway, if that's the case, then there's not much to remember… According to him, I was in some sort of vegetative state. …Wait… if I was, then how the hell did I recover from that?" Vincent shrugged. "That's … really weird. Maybe I just… randomly got better before the execution order?"

"It's hard to say," Vincent said. Estu thoughtfully stared ahead. Even after what he'd learned, there was still the mystery of his memory and the fact that he was alive. It seemed as though it was enough to give him a bit of focus, help him ignore the pain he felt.

"Maybe… I got a bit of life force from condemned criminals… Hey, what if one of them was some sort of escape artist and I got out of there on my own? That would actually almost be cool…"

"That part of you is a criminal?" Vincent asked. Suddenly Estu looked away, dejectedly staring out the window. _Nice work Vincent. Great job. I'm sure that's exactly what he needed to hear._ Vincent briefly wondered when his own thoughts got so sarcastic. "Sorry."

"It would be true… wouldn't it? Course, that's not much in comparison," he said.

"…It'll be okay," Vincent said, trying to sound reassuring. Estu ignored him, saying nothing for hours.

He eventually fell asleep, cheek pressed against the window. Vincent listened as he quietly murmured – 'monster, inhuman, copy…'

* * *

><p>A sudden bump in the road jostled Estu awake. "Would you please learn how to drive?" he asked.<p>

"There isn't much you can do about pot holes," Vincent said. "And I drive just fine, thank you."

"Hmmph… " Estu slumped back down. The road ahead of them was vacant, silent, and foggy. Estu suddenly realized how odd it seemed. "What time is it?"

Vincent glanced at the clock on the stereo. "One-thirty… why?"

"Should it still be this foggy?" Vincent shook his head, pulling off the road. He opened the truck's door and stepped out, looking around the foggy plains. "Vincent? What are you-?"

"Quiet. We aren't alone out here."

Estu swallowed nervously. "What do you mean we aren't-" He stopped as he looked around him at many pairs of glowing red eyes, shrouded in mist.

"Moving forces to Rocket Town would be a logical step…" Vincent said quietly. "They've probably been coming up here since that ambush…"

"And… we just found them…" Estu replied. "And they're waiting for orders…"

"The second they get them, they'll attack. Get ready." Estu gripped his sword, now holding on to it like life itself. Tense with anticipation, Vincent and Estu waited for the strike.


	32. Chapter 32

Vincent looked around the fog, counting the tiny pinpricks of red light. Hundreds of monsters stood around him, ready to attack at a moment's notice. There were too many, far too many. "What are we going to do?" Estu asked. He seemed aware just how outnumbered they were. _What are we going to do?_

"Stay close to me. Maybe if we're quiet, we can get through without being noticed."

"What about the truck?" Estu asked, glancing at the abandoned vehicle.

"We leave it… now, quiet." Vincent walked through the fog, careful to avoid attention. The monsters stood still, like grotesquely realistic statues, not moving, not even blinking their crimson eyes. Glancing back occasionally, Vincent walked past them, pausing at the sight of a Deepground soldier. He put his arm out to stop Estu, and moved behind one of the larger monsters.

It remained unaware of him as he hid in its shadow. The creature's orange fur clashed with the purple spines ridging its back. It did not breathe, it did not blink, but stood like the others. Estu examined the stitching and scar tissue that held the beast together, looking at the monster with a mix of fear and pity. Vincent looked away from the boy, back to the soldier, who still held his ground. He spoke into a com device as he scanned the area.

"No life signs… can we move on?" he asked.

The answer, a woman's voice, just loud enough for Vincent to hear, "Yes… move on."

The man typed into the device and all of the creatures began to walk, moving in perfect unison. Estu and Vincent tried keeping pace with the monster that hid them while Vincent scanned for a path back though the fog. He waited for the soldier to move away from the creature before leading Estu through the marching beasts. He watched carefully, predicting their movements as he crept through the field.

_Damn… _Further back, there were fewer monsters and more of the Stratus soldiers and Behemoths. He knew that they could act with some autonomy… at least to a degree. In the dense fog that cloaked them, they couldn't see yet, but it would only be a matter of moments before they were alerted to Vincent and Estu. Vincent gripped Estu's arm, ignoring the boy's silent glare in protest, and led him back and to the side. The troops would be traveling north, so he walked northwest, hoping to find the edge of the legion.

It was a futile effort, it seemed, as he walked for nearly an hour, avoiding the eyes of the soldiers and hiding around monsters. There was still no end to the fog, no end to the small army that marched forward. It was a dire situation, and he only had one solution. He stopped, looking around at the marching troops.

"What are you doing?" Estu whispered.

"… You keep moving, keep hidden, put some distance between me and you."

Estu nodded, moving the way Vincent had been, hiding among the monsters.

Vincent turned, looking at the incoming troops. _ I didn't want it to come to this…_ He took a steadying breath, looking around the soon to be battle field. A soldier approached him, coming to a dead stop the second he could see Vincent. _I really didn't want to… but… Chaos?_

The soldier pressed a button on his com device, alerting the others. _Chaos._

**Yes?**

The soldier took aim at him. Vincent stood his ground, bracing himself. _…Have fun._

* * *

><p>Behind him, Estu heard a sharp cry of pain, then several panicked voices. Gunfire, then… screams. The monsters around him turned, running towards the noise of the battle now unfolding. Cover gone, Estu drew his sword, looking around at the remaining troops, ready to fight them off.<p>

One spotted him, running towards him, carrying a long spear. Estu sidestepped the attack as he stabbed forward. He moved towards the soldier, away from the spear's blade. The enemy tried moving back to stab again, but Estu was faster, slashing with his sword and taking him down. Another near him ignored Estu completely, speaking quickly into a com device.

"It's him. Number Four!" Estu's eyes widened. _How does he- ?_ Acting quickly, Estu ran towards him, slashing at the arm that held the device, which was dropped to the ground. The soldier tried drawing a gun, but Estu knocked it out of his hand. He stared him down, glaring, hoping he looked at least a bit intimidating.

"How do you know about that?" Estu asked.

"About…?" the soldier said nervously, looking for a way to get to the gun on the ground.

"Number Four," Estu said, trying to hide the fear in his voice. The soldier said nothing. "Tell me or I swear I'll kill you." And in a horrible moment, Estu realized that he would. Gladly. It would be so easy, striking the defenseless man down.

"…Weiss is looking for you," he answered.

"Why?" He stayed quiet. "Tell me why!" There was no response. "I said tell me! Didn't you hear me? I will kill-" Estu stopped, watching as the man crumpled to the ground, a poison dart in the back of his neck. A woman stood behind him, glaring with bright red eyes. Crimson hair and bright red lips provided a stark contrast to her pallid skin. She wore the same style armor as many of the troops, but hers was unique in color, red and black.

"Well… hello, Number Four," she said in a smooth and slightly accented voice. She held up her weapon, probably the most impractical thing Estu had ever seen in his life. Two red and silver blades, wickedly curved, attached by a grip in the center of the weapon – it looked like the deadly child of a long bow and a gunblade. "It's been quite some time… hasn't it?" she continued.

A million questions burned in his mind, but the best he could come up with… "Who are you?"

"Do you not remember me, friend? I suppose not… I worked with the others much more than you… you always did your own thing…" she said, pacing around him, circling like a bird of prey.

"What are you talking about? And who are you?" Estu asked, watching her cautiously.

"You don't remember… that hurts… Well, you can call me Rosso," she answered, smiling viciously. "Now, are you going to come with me nicely, or am I going to have to hurt you?"

"You can try," he responded.

She laughed, "Number Four… have you ever fought one of Deepground's elite?"

"…Argento," Estu answered, hoping to intimidate her.

"Argento? …Ha! I'm sorry, did you think he was a strong fighter? He's the weak one, you know."

"He… is?" Estu asked.

"Oh, yes… and I," she said, holding the gunblade up, "am the strong one."

She slashed at Estu, quick… much quicker than anyone he'd ever faced before. He parried with his sword, doing his best to keep up against her frantic strikes. Just as he thought she was tiring, she switched to a slower, but harder hitting style. Estu panicked for a moment, knowing that if he blocked the strikes, his weapon could easily fly out of his hand. So he dodged them instead, moving around the slower blades, looking for an opportunity to strike.

He stabbed forward, seeing a momentary gap in her defense, but she quickly stepped back. Angered, Estu swung wildly a few times, but Rosso easily blocked his strikes. She held the weapon aloft, one-handed, lazily defending herself. _She looks bored_… Estu realized. _She's just playing with me._

Estu kept his attacks up, trying to get just one strike on her, but she was by far, too powerful. His breath quickened, his heart raced, he kept striking, striking, trying to find a single moment of weakness.

"Are you about done?" Rosso asked. "Trust me… I could keep this up all day. And if Weiss hadn't asked for you alive, you'd be on the ground bleeding already."

"What does he… want from me?" Estu asked, panting. Rosso simply smiled, switching to an offensive style again. Estu continued sidestepping the slow, powerful blows, defecting the quick ones. "What does he want? Hasn't he screwed me up enough already?" Estu asked.

"Oh, Number Four –"

"Stop calling me that!"

"Sorry, old friend… it's so sad… you forgetting who you are… we had such fun back then," Rosso continued.

"You're insane," Estu spat.

"Aren't we all?"

The attacks continued, leaving Estu exhausted. He didn't know how much time had passed, but it was quite possibly the longest one on one fight he'd ever been in. And Rosso wasn't even working at full strength. But his arms ached. He could barely hold his sword. He kept going, knowing he couldn't give up.

"You look tired," Rosso mocked.

"You're tired," he tried. _That didn't make sense_.

"It's been a while since you used that idiotic insult on me," Rosso said.

"Shut up."

"Do you need a break? I can't give you one, but you could come with me quietly."

"No!"

"You do realize it takes a lot of restraint for me… not killing you now," she smiled wickedly. "Oh, it would be fun… killing you now."

Estu looked down, pretending to feel defeat. _Just one chance…_ "Fine… You win."

"Good," she replied. She pressed a button on her com device. A sword carrying Stratus soldier broke free of the fray of battle, quickly running over. Estu prepared to run, but something caught him off guard. A strange buzzing in the back of his mind, a pull on his heart. Whispers, hissing voices, words he couldn't comprehend. The Stratus soldier neared him. _Go!_ But he was caught in the odd sensation, something unlike anything he'd felt before. _Go! Hurry!_ He blinked, snapping out of the trance, then ran, faster than he ever had in his life.

A loud curse behind him, then rapid footsteps as the Stratus soldier sprinted after him. _Just run._ He did, moving straight to the center of the battle. He could hide in there, just had to make sure he wasn't stepped on by one of the enormous monsters. He ducked under a taller one, looking around for Vincent. There was no way the two of them could win this. They needed to get out. He wove his way through the monsters, looking around for the lone gunman. Somewhere east of him, a vicious, inhuman scream cut through the field.

Estu ran towards it, finding Chaos, actually struggling against the many monsters that fought against it. Dark waves of energy radiated from his fists, but his large bat-like wings were torn to shreds, and pitch black blood dripped from several wounds. Angered, Chaos caused shadowy tendrils of energy to emerge from the ground, grabbing and ripping soldiers and monsters alike to shreds. It was a terrifying sight, and if Estu hadn't been in mortal danger, he would have closed his eyes and tried to hide from the demon. As things were, he needed this alter ego to set a trap.

He crouched near the bloody corpse of the purple spined monster, just on the far side of where Chaos stood his ground. He waited, watching as the Stratus soldier grew near. Estu quickly stood, waving at the solder, who took a look at him, then a look at Chaos, then turned ,running away.

"What? !" Estu yelled. "Come on! That should have worked!" The Stratus soldier ignored him, but Estu realized that Chaos was staring right at him. "Oh…Crap."

* * *

><p>Vincent saw Estu through Chaos's eyes, immediately irritated with the boy. <em>I told him to get out of here… what did you expect? He had a death wish.<em> **Did he? This could be fun, then…** _No!_ Chaos moved towards Estu, who, rather than looking afraid, looked angry.

"Don't," Estu said. Vincent felt Chaos's surprise. "Don't screw with me right now. I have had the _worst _week _of my life_, and you know what? I'm _not_ getting taken down by some stupid demon… thing. Take another step closer, I _dare_ you. I honestly don't care that Vincent's in there too. Do I look like I give a damn right now? Step closer and I swear I'll end you."

Chaos laughed. **I like that one.** _…Of course you do_… Vincent felt Chaos's fist curl up. Estu watched, rage burning in his eyes. He raised his blade and struck quickly. Eight swings of his sword, faster than anything Vincent had seen him do before, each strike appeared almost as a flash of light. There was a glowing energy around him, a limit break. And for a moment, Estu fought at his full potential, actually wounding Chaos.

It was a moment before Chaos fully realized what had happened. His health had been worn down by the battle, and Estu's Octaslash was just enough to put him over the edge. He fell to the ground, clutching the wounds on his chest as his power faded away. Vincent's body changed back, and he lied on the ground, giving his many wounds a few moments to heal.

As the Stratus soldier left, so too did the legion of monsters. They were gone, continuing their march north. Vincent and Estu sat on the field, alone. With them gone, the fog cleared, apparently generated by someone in the small army, and Vincent felt the sun shining down on him. He carefully sat up, looking around the battle field.

Estu briefly looked down at Vincent. He didn't look angry anymore, instead seeming guilty and upset. "I'm sorry," Estu said quietly, looking at his sword. A pitch black fluid coated the blade. Estu wiped it on the grass as he looked up at the Nibel mountains. "I didn't really have a choice… I'm sorry I hurt you."

"I didn't realize you were capable of that sort of attack," Vincent said, standing up.

"Yeah… me neither…" He sheathed the wakizashi, looking troubled. "That was… one of _his_ attacks, wasn't it?"

"Yes, it was."

Estu bit his lip, thinking that over. After a moment, he tilted his head towards the mountain. "…Should we keep moving?" he asked.

Vincent nodded, looking out at the green truck, miles away, tipped over. _Cid's going to kill me…_ "We need to hurry to the mountain base. They're headed towards Rocket Town." Estu nodded, walking forward.

"I'm sure Ami will have a way of contacting them… or at least the militia, they'll be able to get in touch with Cid. I hope so, anyway," Estu said. "Will they be alright?"

"Cid and the others? Oh, yes. Have you seen the _Shera_? He's been waiting to use her in a fight for some time now."

"Well that's good," Estu said. He and Vincent walked towards the Nibel mountains for a long while, not speaking. Then Estu looked up, concerned. "Rosso… one of Deepground's elite is leading them."

"Hm…" Vincent responded.

"She… she's extremely powerful. They'll have to be careful. …And she said Weiss was searching for me. Why do you think he is?"

"I'm not sure."

"…I think… I need to help fight them. I can't avoid it anymore. It's personal, now," Estu said.

"Well, I'm sure the militia will be glad to have you," Vincent said.

Estu nodded, hopping over a stray tire. The craggy peaks of the mountains were growing nearer and nearer. "I don't know… do I even have a place in the world? Do I belong here?"

"No one is given a distinct place in the order of things. You have to find your own way, make it yourself. If you find something you can do, and do it well… Well, no one could ask more of you. I don't believe in fate or destiny or any of that. Life is what you make of it."

Estu shrugged. "I just feel… lost. I've spent so much time trying to learn who I am… It feels like now that I know, I'm even more unsure," he said. "And I have no idea how I'm going to explain any of this to Ami…"

"I think she already had a feeling that something like this was the case," Vincent said.

"Why, did she come across some sort of proof before me?"

"No, she just wasn't as opposed to the truth as you."

Estu frowned. "That's true… isn't it? I can't explain why, but even now, part of me wants to believe that all of this isn't real." He put his hands in his pockets, looking onward. "It's real. This is real. I can't run away from it, but…" he sighed, "never mind."

* * *

><p>Deep in the Nibel mountains, Ami rode through the range on the back of a green Chocobo. Another, led behind the first, warked in protest at every leap and jump it was forced to make. Ami rolled her eyes at it. Estu was getting the whiney one… that was for sure.<p>

When she finally reached the opposite end of the mountain range, Estu hadn't arrived yet, but the ground looked as though it had been trampled on. Boot prints and what looked like monster tracks had sunken into the slightly muddy earth. She flipped her phone open, calling the Nibelheim base.

"…Something up?" a male voice, one of the local guys asked.

"Looks like Deepground's gone through the mountains north of here. Think they just passed us by?" Ami asked.

"Huh… Dunno, I'll tell the Lieutenant about the find, though." The Lieutenant, Ami knew, had once served in Shinra's army. Though their militia was a bit informal, and they didn't really have ranks, they all knew that he was the most experienced, and therefore the one to serve as the unofficial leader in AVALANCHE's absence. He had chosen to occupy the city after its first destruction, and no one really knew his real name, but he was reasonable enough, and still quite fit despite the years away from his original line of work.

Ami put her phone back into her pocket. It was one of the few that Deepground couldn't track, on lend. She needed to take care of it. The older cell phones were a rare commodity. She rode the Chocobo about a mile north of the mountain base, hoping to find Estu. 'Whiney' still protested, calling loudly.

It was a few minutes before she saw them in the distance. Estu and Vincent trudged tiredly across the plains. Ami smiled at the sight of them. She waved from the Chocobo, catching their eyes. Estu gave a slight wave back, but it seemed forced. _Hope he's okay… at least he isn't curled up in a ball. That's good, I think. _Ami rode to meet them, stopping just short of where they stood. She hopped off of the large green bird, holding the reins in her hand.

"…Hi, Ami," Estu said quietly.

"Hey kid. Thanks for keeping your promise," Ami said. Estu frowned at her words for some reason. He looked away from her, keeping quiet. Ami turned to Vincent who glanced from her eyes to Estu then back to her. Sometimes, a look can speak much more than words, and Vincent's meaning was clear. He needed to talk to her. Ami swallowed nervously, handing the bird's reins to Estu. "Mind holding on to the bird for a sec?" she asked.

"Ami, it's going to try to kill me."

"Don't be silly, it's just a Chocobo," Ami said. Though the second Estu took the reins, it tried to peck at his hand. Ami smacked it on the head. "No, bad Chuck. Bad."

"You named the Chocobo 'Chuck?'" Estu asked.

"Nah, someone else did. I named the other one Whiney, though." Right on cue, Whiney warked loudly. "Just hold on to them for a sec, okay?" Estu nodded and Ami walked away from him, over to where Vincent stood further back.

"…Did he tell you my theories about him?" Vincent whispered. Ami nodded, he'd spoken quite a bit about the midnight talks back when she'd found him again in Nibelheim. "Well… as things turn out, my idea of him being a clone was correct."

"…Is he going to be okay?" Ami asked, knowing how much that probably hurt him.

Vincent raised an eyebrow. "No response to that?" he asked. "Most people wouldn't take that sort of fact so casually."

"Yeah, I know. But I don't really care what he is. He's my brother… that's all that matters."

Vincent's features were unreadable, but after a moment he gave a slight nod. "…You have a good heart, you know," he said.

"Th- thanks," Ami said, a bit surprised. She didn't really expect a compliment from the guy, but was glad to hear it. Even if she didn't quite believe it was deserved.

"He's going to need you," Vincent said. "He didn't take the knowledge very well."

Ami twirled her hair, concerned. "What do you mean?"

"…He told me he wasn't really going to do anything, but I found him with his sword pressed to his heart."

Ami felt her stomach drop at that. She glanced back at Estu, still holding the Chocobos, but staring off into space. "He… he really did?" she asked. "I can't believe… shit, I don't know how to deal with this."

"Neither do I… Keep a close eye on him in the time being, though. I think he wants to live, but…" Vincent took a breath, looking away from him. "It'll take some time… he may never fully come to terms with this, but I think he'll be better off with you around."

"Thank you for looking after him," Ami said. "I really can't thank you enough for everything you've done."

"It… was nothing, really," Vincent said. He walked back to Estu, leaving Ami to follow. "There is the issue of the army marching north," he said, looking at some of the tracks in the ground. "I hope you didn't encounter them in Nibelheim?"

"Must have gone around us. It's been, like, really quiet back there."

"That may change if they're trying such a direct approach. May I borrow a cell phone? I need to warn Cid."

Ami nodded, handing it over. "Do you not have one?"

"I did. I really did. I swear," Vincent said, with a bit more annoyance than what was usual for him. Ami shot Estu a side long glance, but he just shrugged at the man's behavior.

* * *

><p>"Hello?" Cid asked.<p>

"It's Vincent."

"Oh… where'd you get the phone?"

"That's not important. Listen, Estu and I encountered an army marching north towards Rocket Town. I managed to put a dent in their numbers, but-"

"Whoa, whoa… Are you #$%^ing serious right now?" Cid asked.

"Cid, when am I not serious?"

"You've been a downright smartass lately," Cid said.

"…I suppose I've been a bit sardonic… but I am serious about the army. They're a few hours away, and you may be able to intercept their arrival in Rocket Town. It's going to take a while for me to get back, but I might be able to make it up their around the same time as them. If not, can you handle them?"

"Hell yeah! Finally get to try out a few of the new toys on _Shera_! Shera! We need to get the ship ready! The rest of ya get your asses in gear! C'mon!" Cid barked orders at the others.

"Well, it's good to see you've got it under control," Vincent said.

"Quit being a smartass."

"I was being honest. I'll be back as soon as I can." Vincent flipped the phone shut and handed it back to Ami. "Thank you."

"No problem," she said. "So the grumpy old man's got this under control?"

"I believe so… either way, I need to start heading back." Without saying anything else in the way of goodbye's Vincent turned and walked away from the two. It would be a long way back.

* * *

><p>Estu carefully climbed onto Whiney's back. The bird immediately called out in protest, but Ami gave it a quick smack on the head. <em>It's going to try to throw me… I just know it.<em> Estu tightened his grip on the bird, worried that it would wait until they rode over a cliff before it tossed him into the abyss.

"You never did much Chocobo riding, huh?" Ami said, looking out over the mountains.

"Animals don't like me," Estu said, noticing the look (if Chocobos were even capable of giving looks…) that he got from Chuck.

"It'll be alright, I've found a pretty good path through, and these babies were literally born to climb mountains."

"Right," Estu said, trying to get Whiney to walk forward. The bird refused to move an inch. "…This isn't going to work."

Ami rolled her eyes and retied the rope around Whiney. "Okay, we'll do this the hard way then. Happy?"

"Wark!"

"That's what I thought," Ami said.

"And she's talking to birds."

"Shut up, I'm a freaking Chocobo whisperer." Ami rode forward a bit, pulling Estu and his Chocobo along with her.

They rode, right up the mountain, the green birds easily finding footing in the rocks. Estu briefly glanced back, already feeling dizzy from the heights. For once, a good thing would come out of his acrophobia – he literally wouldn't be able to think about anything.

* * *

><p>Being alone suited Vincent. It gave him time to think, plan ahead. When he got back to Rocket Town, they would be able to journey to the second shard. Perhaps the combination of the two would be a more effective weapon against Chaos. But after the beating the demon had taken that day, there would be a few days that he would be too weak to give Vincent any issues with control.<p>

A clear mind for a few short days… it was a welcome gift, and Vincent planned on taking full advantage of it. He would need to get the second shard within that time. That could very well prove effective.

As Vincent walked back, he found the abandoned truck again. The window had been cracked and it was tipped over, but didn't look too damaged. Vincent walked beside it, gripping the edge of the bed and pulled with all his might, managing to right it. With the truck right side up, he examined it for any further damage, noticing scratches in the paint where he'd gripped with his left hand. Dents covered the body, and one of the mirrors was crushed completely. _Cid's really going to kill me._ Vincent climbed into the vehicle, smiling wryly. _Well, he can try, at any rate._

Keys, drive… and the engine started. Vincent sighed in relief. At least _something_ was going right.


	33. Chapter 33

**A/N: Since Vincent and Estu are preoccupied with travel at the moment, I'm giving Yuffie and Cid a day in the limelight. Why? Because I freaking love these two, that's why. Also I could justify it with recent struggles / character development, stuff like that, but mostly because I love these two. And they're both pretty awesome.**

* * *

><p>It had been a few hours since Vincent warned Cid about the approaching army. Jumping right back into leader mode, he got everyone moving on preparing for the incoming attack. "Shera, I'm gonna need my spear, a new pack of cigarettes, and a thermos of tea."<p>

"Then get it yourself, I'm a little busy, here," Shera answered.

Well, there were always a few snags in leadership.

Cid grinned as he took his place at the helm of his airship. This was where he was most comfortable – in charge, in command of an actual crew, and, most importantly, behind the best arsenal of areal weapons since Shinra's golden days. "Everything ready?"

"We're good to go, Chief," one of the crew members said. _Chief… missed that._

"Alright, let's bring this baby up!" Cid said. He felt a rush of excitement as the _Shera_ rose off the ground. _This _was an airship, not like the puny one that just managed to get them there. This was a work of art, pure beauty given form and the ability to fly. Moving over to the controls, Cid flipped a few switches, opening communications between himself, Yuffie, and Tifa. "Y'all can hear, alright?"

"Loud and clear," Tifa said.

"Yup, I can hear just fine, Papa Cid."

"Knock that off, this is serious," Cid said. He could deal with the idea of his future child later.

"Do we have a visual on Deepground?" Tifa asked.

Cid looked out over the controls, spotting the army a few klicks south of the town. "Get your asses southward, they're comin' and I don't want a single goddamn boot from a single trooper in my town."

"Gotcha!" Yuffie said.

Cid flew over to the Deepground legion. "You two take care of the northern portion, I'll get the stragglers." Then turning back, "Denzel, can you see the target area?"

"Yeah," Denzel replied, hand poised over a lever.

"Launch on my command… One, Two… Launch!"

* * *

><p><em>Uhg…. This is awful! <em> Yuffie clung to Tifa as the motorcycle zipped across the field south of Rocket Town. She'd figured the ride would be a bit smoother, given Tifa's experience borrowing _Fenrir_, but no…

The motorcycle came to a stop, just a few hundred yards away from the approaching monsters. Tifa looked back at it as she stepped forward, popping her knuckles. "I hope Cid knows that something's probably going to break that bike."

"I think he's borrowing it… His friend's gonna be in for a nasty surprise," Yuffie said. She ran forward, not even waiting on Tifa. She threw her shuriken, striking the first of many monsters. As she did, a large explosion near the back of the army sent Deepground troops and monsters rocketing skyward. "Nice!"

"Thanks Yuffie!" said the voice in her ear, Denzel.

Yuffie cast magic and threw stars at the monsters, keeping a bit of distance. Tifa, meanwhile, preferred a more direct approach, running right into the heat of battle, and flipping a trooper that made the mistake of getting too close to her. The battle was just getting started as a loud voice rang-

"Stop!"

Everything halted, obeying the command without question. A woman stepped forward, brushing past the subordinates. Yuffie felt a slight jolt at her crimson eyes. They looked just like… _Don't worry about that now Yufs… what's this chick want?_ Yuffie, though she knew she wasn't at all intimidating, marched up to the woman, head held high.

"Something you want?" she asked boldly.

"Ah, yes… I'm glad you asked. If you would like to avoid further conflict, I'll be taking the Proto-materia shard," she said.

"Psh, yeah, right. Like after all this time we're gonna give it to you." Then something dawned on Yuffie. "…Did you say 'shard?'"

The woman smiled wickedly. "A certain Dr. Vere informed us of the Proto-materia's condition. Unfortunately, we need the fragment you have."

"…And what makes you think we'll give it to you?" Tifa asked, stepping over.

"Oh, I don't think you'll do anything of the sort. But the simple matter of taking it off your corpse…."

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Yuffie asked.

"Rosso the Crimson," she answered. "And more than capable of taking both of you down at once."

_Cocky, arrogant… huh… well two can play this game!_ "Doesn't that mean 'Red the Red?' Bit redundant, don't ya think? I've got a few titles of my own, and they're a hell of a lot better than yours!"

"Oh really? I wasn't aware you held any titles aside from 'princess' Kisaragi."

"Shows how much you know, then," Yuffie said. "I defeated all five warriors of the pagoda. I think I can handle some redundant Deepground guard."

Rosso's lip curled. "This talk is growing wearisome… Give me the shard or die."

Yuffie laughed, holding up her shuriken, "Yeah, good look with that, Red."

One of the Deepground troops stepped in, but Rosso pushed him back. "I want this fight," she hissed, staring Yuffie down.

"Yuffie," Tifa said cautiously.

"Don't worry, I've got this. Hey, Red. How bout we make a deal? You win-"

"There will be no winner, simply a survivor," Rosso said.

Yuffie grinned, "Fine by me."

Rosso slashed at her with the strange gunblade, but Yuffie easily dodged the blows. "You're a little slow," she said, ducking and leaping nimbly. Rosso sneered and picked up the pace, strinking more quickly. Yuffie watched and held her shuriken so the blade landed between two points. She twisted her weapon, trying to disarm Rosso, but the woman's grip was firm.

With a smirk, Rosso twirled the gunblade, actually flipping Yuffie. The ninja landed easily on her feet, and quickly slashed at Rosso's ankles. Rosso howled, more from fury than pain and slashed at Yuffie again. Behind them, another explosion shook the earth as Cid and Denzel bombed the army of sitting ducks.

"Get them moving! We take Rocket Town and they'll give us the materia!" Rosso shouted, blocking one of Yuffie's attacks.

"Oh, really? Think they'll stand much of a chance against Leviathan?" Yuffie asked, summoning the sea creature. It took almost all of her MP, but it was well worth it as the deity decimated the Deepground troops. Without WRO forces in the way, it was able to simply attack, without fearing for other's safety.

"You! How dare you?" Rosso asked, slashing at Yuffie, who was a bit drained from the summon. Yuffie grit her teeth, and blocked the attacks, holding her weapon up as a shield.

"Never said I'd play fair," Yuffie said.

"Well, then. Status-1, kill her!" Rosso stepped back as a stratus soldier wielding a large sword charged forward. Yuffie easily dodged the swings. She'd sparred with Cloud plenty of times, in comparison, this soldier was a pushover. Rosso tried to jump into the battle as well, but Tifa ran forward, quickly getting a few punches and kicks in.

Yuffie looked for the soldier's flaw in his defense, but there didn't seem to be one, he moved quickly in spite of the large weapon. Tifa and Yuffie stood back to back for a moment, then at once, as though they'd planned it, swapped foes. The sudden change in fighting style was enough to throw Rosso off, and Yuffie got a few good swipes on her with the shuriken. Tifa meanwhile missed a beat and was kicked to the ground.

"Tifa!" Yuffie said, she tried to get to her, but Rosso kept attacking with renewed strength. Tifa rolled away from the blade that threatened to impale her. In a single moment, she misjudged the distance between her and him and he swung at her.

Something strange happened. The Stratus soldier stopped his blade, just short of Tifa's throat. The Stratus soldier stood perfectly still for a moment. Yuffie wondered if the helmet malfunctioned somehow. Rosso, looked back in fury. "What are you doing? Kill her!"

The momentary distraction gave the two women just enough time to gain the upper hand. Rosso tried defending herself, and at the same time, she and Yuffie struck eachother. Yuffie's shuriken slashed across Rosso's face, and Rosso's blade sank into Yuffie's leg. In pain and bleeding, Rosso looked out at the small army, but only a few hardy stragglers remained. "Damn it!" She retreated, quickly. Yuffie tried running after her, but the wound on her leg burned and she stumbled.

Tifa helped her up as the Stratus soldier ran as well, apparently over whatever programming bug caused it to act up. "Damn cowards!" Yuffie shouted.

Tifa sighed. "Cid, they're running."

* * *

><p>"Yeah, I see 'em…" Cid said, watching the two.<p>

Knocking out one of the Deepground elite could put them at a disadvantage. He ran to a specialized plane he kept in the Shera itself, _Second Bronco_. It was small, just enough room for one person. It couldn't go far, but to catch a single person as they ran and gun them down was possible. He strapped himself in and pushed the button that would release the plane.

He needed a certain altitude for it to work, part rocket, part fighter plane, it would first dive, then the thrusters and velocity could get its flight going. Cid felt the rush of wind as Second Bronco dove. He needed to time it just right. Just as he neared the ground, he pulled up and propelled it with the trusters. Had he not been wearing his goggles, the wind would have rendered him blind, and still the G-force of the dive, weighted down on him. But he sped along, not too far off the ground to see the fleeing Deepground leader.

He readied Second Bronco's guns, prepared to fire, when something collided with the plane. It rolled through the air, though it didn't crash and the moment of disorientation caused Cid to lose sight of Rosso.

"#$%^, what was that?" What he saw scared the hell out of him. One of the created monsters, an odd combination of an insect and bird had rammed itself into the plane. Cid dodged as second attack, barrel rolling out of its way. Setting his sights on the monster, he shot it down.

Cid looked around for Rosso, but she was gone, disappeared to who knew where. He cursed again as he landed the Second Bronco near the edge of town.

Yuffie hobbled over to him, her leg looked recently healed. "You get her?"

"No, the bitch ran off," Cid said, climbing out of the plane.

"Shit!" Yuffie exclaimed.

"Cid," Tifa said, "they knew the materia was in pieces, if Rosso was sent here to get ours…"

"…Oh #$%^, do you think they know about the one up North?" Cid asked.

"They might," Tifa said. "We need to hurry."

"Yeah, as soon as Valentine get's his ass back up here," Cid said. "Picked the worst day to stir up all this 'I need to be alone' emo shit!"

Yuffie silently looked away, rubbing her arm. "We need to just grab him and go," she said. "Get everyone in the Shera and set off now, find him then head north."

"He'll be here soon enough, " Cid said. "I know you're impatient to see him, but-"

"This has nothing to do with that," Yuffie said. Cid gave her a disbelieving look. "Would you knock that off, this is serious."

"Oh, are we being serious now?" Cid asked.

"Yeah."

"Well, we'll wait on 'Vinnie,' and then we'll get moving," Cid said, watching as the crew on board Shera landed the craft. Yuffie crossed her arms, walking onto the ship. "So she mad about the weird gauntlet shit or somthin'?" Cid asked.

"I have no idea," Tifa said. "I don't think she'd get mad at him for that, though. But I'm sure Vincent isn't too happy about what happened."

"Wish the guy would hurry up," Cid muttered, then, looking over his shoulder, "Oh, speak of the devil…"

"Pun?" Tifa asked, looking at the green truck approaching.

"…#$%^ing puns… didn't mean to do that."

Vincent drove up to them, stopping just short of the two. He stepped out, noticing that the two of them seemed a bit roughed up. "Is everyone all right?" he asked.

"Forget if we're alright, what'd you do to my truck?" Cid asked, looking at a cracked mirror.

Vincent frowned, "Well, when you end up stranded in the middle of nowhere because an army of monsters blocks your path, something is bound to happen." He paused for a moment. "Also, Chaos may have thrown it at some point, but I'm not sure…"

"He did _what_?"

"Are we going to start traveling north now?" Vincent asked, looking over at the airship.

"Wait, your #$%^ing demon threw my truck! ?" Cid asked.

"It's a possibility," Vincent said. "But I was mostly aware of what was going on…. I don't think it was him, but-"

"Vincent, I swear if it was-"

Vincent raised an eyebrow. "What do you want me to do, scold him?" he asked. Cid pulled his cigarettes out of his pocket, ignoring him. "Either way, he's inactive at the moment, so if we could get moving…"

"Yeah, let's go," Cid said. "You owe me for repairs, Valentine."

Vincent sighed. "I'm sorry about the truck."

"You should be… poor thing."

"I was under the impression that you preferred flight anyway, so I don't see why you're upset."

"Oh, sorry, maybe I should go total your car," Cid said.

Vincent shrugged. "Have fun with that. I don't actually own one." He began walking towards _Shera._

Cid ignored him, looking over at Tifa. "Yeah and I'll bet you and Yuffie managed to wreck the bike!"

"…Hey, Vince, wait up!" she said, running after him.

Cid stared at the two. Why was it that his so called 'friends' always broke his toys?

* * *

><p>In the Nibel Mountains, Estu held tightly on to the green Chocobo. After crossing the many crags of the mountain range, it still sped on, not bothering to make the ride smooth. It whined when he accidentally pulled a feather loose. "Shut it," Ami said to the bird. She slowed hers to a trot and looked back at Estu. "You feeling okay?"<p>

"Just great," he said, severely nervous and shaking.

Ami looked back at him and said, "We'll just take a short break" She moved over to a flat part of the mountain and tied the birds to a signpost reading 'Nibelheim Reactor.' Estu hopped off the bird, stretching his legs. "Things will be better back in town. I told them you were fourteen so you could help out with the militia stuff," Ami said, sitting on the worn path.

"Good," he replied. Estu looked up the path, spotting an old Mako reactor. "…Isn't that the one…?"

"Don't worry about it," Ami said. Estu still looked at it, transfixed. That reactor… that was the one where Jenova had been held. The one where Sephiroth had gone mad. Estu wondered if there was anything left in there. He stood, starting towards it. "Estu, do _not_ go in there."

"I just want to look," he said, walking ahead.

Ami ran up to him, grabbed his wrist, and spun him around. "Why? Are you trying to hurt yourself? You know there's nothing in there you need to see. All it will do is make you upset!"

"Why do you say that? I just want to look…"

"Yeah, and I know why you want to, now come on, we need to get back to town." She pulled Estu's arm. _I could just go… it would be easy._ Then after a moment, _Why do I want to? What will it accomplish?_

"You're right… I'm sorry," Estu said, getting back on Whiney. Ami looked relieved, riding her bird away from the reactor. But there was something that almost pulled Estu towards it. There was something about the air around it. It spoke volumes of history, and in a way, his history.

But as they rode away from it, and the odd pull decreased, Estu realized that it wasn't a part of his history at all_. I'm not even him… just a copy. I don't even get the distinction of being that important._

After another hour, the town was in sight. He'd just have to find his own way, he supposed. But the way the reactor had attracted him… it certainly felt like he was meant to go.

* * *

><p>Yuffie felt her stomach flip as <em>Shera<em> sped through the air. It was much faster than the other airship, and as a result, made her feel sicker. She didn't want to take anything after the last incident with tranquilizer, though. She sat on one of the bunks, taking deep breaths and trying to ignore the feeling when there was a knock on the door.

"What? Who is it?"

"…Vincent. May I come in?" _The vampire has to ask permission before it crosses thresholds_… She stood up and jerked the door open. Vincent looked at her for a moment, but said nothing.

"What is it? I'm feeling kinda ill, so if you could make this quick."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be," she replied.

"I'm… not going to let it happen again," Vincent continued.

"Yeah, well me either," Yuffie said.

"…I don't see how you can prevent-" Yuffie cut him off, grabbing his arm and twisting it. Vincent winced slightly, trying to pull away from her. "…That still hurts me, you know."

"Don't be such a wuss!" Yuffie teased, letting his arm go. "See, I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself. Like I said, I'm not the same little kid I was back then." Vincent frowned slightly, but nodded. "I know that whatever I say, you're gonna be all freaked out about being around me. But, I'll just be on guard, too. See, that way nothing can happen."

"I don't think…"

"I get that… right now isn't a good time. But I'm not giving up on you. We'll focus on getting through all this Deepground stuff first, but then…" Vincent glanced down at her worriedly. "Well I'll figure out some way of you making this up."

"…Okay," he said uncertainly.

"But right now you're friendzoned. Are you upset about that? I know you think I'm great, but you're holding back because you're-"

Vincent held out his hand. "I'm not even sure what you're talking about. But I'll see you later, I suppose." He turned and walked away.

Yuffie sat down on her bed, feeling a bit better. _Well, he's at least not going to lock himself in a coffin over this._ Vincent always blew things so out of proportion. Sometimes Yuffie wondered if he was capable of blaming people aside from himself. But the fact that he had worried… he had apologized… In a very Vincenty way, he showed he cared.

_He'll come around eventually_, she decided. Anyway, she'd always liked a challenge. She smiled proudly, until the Shera lurched suddenly. _Stupid Cid and his stupid ship! What's he even doing?_

* * *

><p>"Cid… will you please tell the boy to be careful," Shera asked.<p>

"You're lookin' a bit sick," he said worriedly.

"I'll be fine, just get Denzel off the controls," she said. Cid ordered the first mate to take over, leaving a very cross looking Denzel to sulk.

"…So, I guess…" Cid began. Shera looked at him as he struggled with his words. "This is… um… Shit, why's this so hard?"

"You're such an idiot," Shera muttered.

"I love you, too," Cid replied. "So, are we gonna start pickin' names out?" he asked awkwardly. He still hadn't gotten used to the idea of being a parent.

"What did you have in mind?"

"Marlboro?" he joked.

Shera didn't look amused. "We're not naming them after a cigarette." Cid chuckled. "Seriously, we aren't."

"Alright, sorry," he laughed. She rolled her eyes, smiling a bit at him.

"I'll have to think of something good, I guess," Shera said. "I'm just a bit worried… you're always gone so much…"

"I'll… I'll find a way to stick around home more. Don't worry," Cid said. _There goes freedom_, a small part of him said. He'd always hated staying on the ground. _Well… I'm going to need practice for this_. "Hey Denzel, c'mon, I'll show you the controls on here!"

They worked on piloting, Denzel learning quickly. Cid thought it was good to see him happy after being so quiet the last few days. _I'm not his father… I'll just have to come as close as I can, I guess_. Maybe he couldn't be Cloud, but… he'd try. He'd try his best.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Didn't like this one as much, but I really need to hurry if I'm going to finish before school starts. Just… twelve more chapters and an epilogue. If everything goes as planned, that is. Oh my gosh, the end is in sight! :D On a more random note, this now has almost as many words as **_**Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.**_** I don't know if I should be proud or if I should reevaluate the use of my free time. -_-**


	34. Chapter 34

It was nearly nightfall when Ami and Estu arrived in Nibelheim. The sun cast a reddish glow over the town, making it look a bit warmer, a bit more welcoming. Ami rode the Chocobos to a stable near the inn. She and Estu hopped off before putting 'Chuck' and 'Whiney' into their respective stalls. Estu looked around the town. It was hard to believe it had only been a few days since he'd first laid eyes on it. Or… at least he thought it was the first time. The town still seemed as strangely familiar as ever.

"So where are we staying?" he asked.

"The Lieutenant has a space for us in his attic. It's a little cramped, but it'll have to do."

"…Lieutenant?"

"Oh, he's sort of the unofficial leader," Ami explained. "Used to be in Shinra's forces, so he really knows what he's doing. Plus he's always really well informed. I think he has to be more of a news addict than I am."

"Oh… that's good, I guess," Estu replied.

"Anyway, I'll give you the grand tour tomorrow, but I told him I'd introduce you at dinner," Ami said, walking towards one of the houses.

"I… I don't really want to meet anyone right now. I'm kind of tired," Estu lied. In truth, he felt restless, but really didn't want any more people paying attention to him if he could help it.

"Well, you have to eat, and he's actually a pretty decent cook," Ami said. "Listen," she continued after a pause, "I know… you don't really want people getting involved with you, but you can trust this guy. He's all about privacy, so he isn't good to ask anything personal." _Personal… like what? Hey Estu, do you happen to be some sort of act against nature? Oh, yes, actually. Why do you ask?_ "Heck, most of us have never even seen his face."

"What? Why not?" Estu asked.

"Well, he usually wears his helmet," Ami said. "Anyway, it'll be okay."

"Why do people keep saying that?" Estu muttered.

Ami gave a slight encouraging smile. "C'mon, he actually reminds me a bit of our dad. You'll be okay." Estu shrugged, but walked with her, looking down and avoiding the eyes of patrol groups coming in. "Like I told Mr. Valentine, everything's been pretty quiet. We've had a few skirmishes, but aside from that Deepground's steered clear of us. Our lines with Cosmo Canyon are saying the same thing."

"That's good," Estu said halfheartedly.

"Yeah… The Lieutenant thinks it's because they're saving strength for something big though. But at least they've stopped expanding," she said brightly. Ami walked up to a door and opened it, letting Estu in first. He put his hands in his pockets as he entered.

The house was small, and mostly undecorated. The bare wooden floors seemed a bit cold and worn, and the small, low to the ground table stood alone, without any chairs, but rather a few cushions on the floor. A TV in the corner displayed static as a blonde woman, one of the locals, played with antenna, trying to find a signal. Estu stepped in a few paces, unsure what to do. Ami, meanwhile walked in, waving at the woman fixing the television.

"Hey, I'm back!" she said. The woman turned and gave a slight wave back.

"Nice to see you're safe. Any news from AVALANCHE?"

"'Fraid not. I only saw Valentine. The others were in Rocket Town," Ami said. The blonde woman looked disappointed. "Anyway, this is my little brother, Estu. Estu this is Marge, resident communications expert."

"I'm hardly an expert," Marge said, blushing. "Pleasure to meet you, Estu… that rhymed, sorry. That's quite an unusual name, by the way."

"Er… yeah," Estu said, looking away from her.

"Is that the boy's version of Etsu or something?" Marge asked.

"What?"

"Etsu, that's a girl name in Wutai, right?"

"Oh… yeah, that's what it is," Estu said. It occurred to him that he really should have thought of a reasoning behind his name before.

"So when's the Lieutenant getting back?" Ami asked, sitting on the floor.

"Just a few minutes," Marge replied. The TV suddenly lit up with a Gold Saucer commercial. "Yes! And my work here is done. Good night, you two!" Marge said, exiting the house.

"Night!" Ami called back. She looked over at the TV, amused. "Bless their hearts… still advertising Chocobo racing." Estu nodded, walking over to the TV, letting his mind go blank.

* * *

><p>The <em>Shera<em> flew over the Bone Village at sunset. The archaeological site was empty – not much use for excavation when a hostile force sought to take over the planet. Vincent looked out on the deck to the airship. At this rate, they'd arrive at the maze within a few minutes.

Surely enough, about five minutes later, he saw the front of a maze, sprawling out in many direction. Strange clouds hung over it, making it impossible to see anything but the edges. Vincent walked back into _Shera_ as Cid landed the aircraft. Inside, everyone was gearing up. Because of their proximity to the Northern Crater and the time of year, they would need fairly heavy clothing to make it through the frigid night.

"Can't we wait til morning?" Yuffie asked, pulling on a puffy grey jacket that was so large it nearly smothered her. She waved the much too long sleeves around a few times.

"Quit that!" Cid said as he wrapped a scarf around his neck and pulled on a pair of gloves. "We really need to get out there before Deepground. Sorry, Yuffie."

"Uhg… I look like a Bandersnatch!" she complained. "Haven't we got any smaller coats? This thing's practically a dress!"

"You'll be glad you have it when we get out there," Tifa pointed out. She carefully adjusted a pair of earmuffs while looking out the window. "It's snowing."

"Yay," Yuffie said, crossing her arms. She turned to Vincent. "Well, you getting any winter gear?" Vincent got a glove out of his pocket and pulled it over his right hand. "…That's it?"

"Yes."

"…Stupid vampire ice powers," Yuffie muttered, stepping outside. "Holy crap! It's cold!"

"Told you!" Tifa called out to her. She, Cid, and Vincent stepped out as well, looking around the nearly frozen stone walls.

Vincent looked around for the entrance, noticing that everyone's breath was coming out in puffs of fog. Yuffie seemed to be thinking along the same lines as him, picking a stick off the ground and making a mock smoke ring. "Hey Cid, guess who," she said.

"Quit #$%^ing fooling around," Cid said, though he seemed mildly amused. He spied a slight indention on the stone walls of the maze. "That an entrance?" Near it, the outline of a door was carved out.

Vincent approached the indention, looking for some sort of switch. "It looks like it needs materia," he said, pulling his Cerberus summon out of his gun. He set it in, and the door dropped.

"That was easy enough," Tifa said hopefully.

"Opening the front door tends to be simple," Vincent said, putting the materia back into his gun. "So how do we go about this?" Three paths led away from the entrance. On straight in front, right, and left.

Cid scratched his chin, moving a scarf that covered it away to speak. "We'll just go in two groups. We've got a pair of walky-talkies so we can just signal when someone finds it."

"Okay," Tifa said. "So… me and Vincent, you and Yuffie? Then there's a long range and short range fighter on each team."

Cid nodded. "Sounds like a good idea." He turned to Yuffie. "You can take this seriously, can't ya?"

"I take my materia _very_ seriously, thank you very much," Yuffie replied in her most dignified voice.

Vincent walked into the maze, taking the left path. Tifa followed, holding onto the walky-talky and provisions for her. "We'll radio in if we find anything," she said, looking back at Cid and Yuffie. Cid gave a thumbs up as he walked towards the right path and disappeared into the obscuring fog.

* * *

><p>The Lieutenant wasn't quite what Estu had expected. For one, he was fairly young, perhaps only twenty-five years old. And while he didn't remove his helmet obscuring the upper half of his face, even for the duration of dinner, he seemed fairly relaxed and friendly – the sort of person who could put someone at ease. He kept a hand on his phone, checking it nearly constantly, and occasionally sending a text, though he paid close attention to the two as well. And, as Ami said, he was a fairly good cook, and the soup and bread he made was perfect for the cold fall weather.<p>

"So, Ami said you're pretty good with a sword," he said. Estu nodded. "You'll have to show me sometime… aren't many around here who use swords. Me, you… just a few others… not many."

"You fight with a sword?" Estu asked.

"Yeah… still have mine from back… Ah, never mind. You don't want to hear about that, I'm sure," the Lieutenant said. Estu wondered why he was hesitant to talk about himself, but understood the feeling. "Anyway," he continued after taking a few bites of bread dunked in soup, "I'm sure you'll fit right in with everyone. It'll be good to have a new member… even if you are a bit young. It's not too big a deal… I joined in infantry at thirteen, so… well, you'll be fine, I'm sure."

"You think I'll fit in?" Estu asked skeptically.

"Well, sure. If you're worried about not being a local, most of the folks here… oh, hang on," he said, dialing a number. "…Yes. Yes. No. Really? Well, go ahead then. Alright, bye." His mouth twitched slightly, the only expression visible under the helmet. "Sorry, where were we?"

"Locals…"

"Ah right, well most of us have only lived here nine to five years. Not many left from the original town. Course when Shinra fell, we got stuck here," he said. Estu remembered that it had been revealed that Shinra paid employees to create a facsimile of the town after it was nearly destroyed by Sephiroth. WRO hadn't been kind enough to send funds to help those who wanted to relocate, so many people's false identities and livelihoods had to become their real ones.

"So _you_ were paid to live here?" Estu asked.

"Yeah. Well… not at first. I came to find an old friend of mine, but… well, here I am. Still here. Kept me from dying at AVALANCHE's hands at any rate. But enough about me. Have you gotten in a lot of battles already? Skill outside of a real fight is one thing, actual experience is another."

"I've been in… well, a lot of fights. One on one, one on… six, and I helped in the battle in Cosmo Canyon," Estu said.

"Good… if I may ask, how did most of the fighting happen before now?"

"I worked as a bounty hunter," Estu said. "Not professionally, just enough to get money to live off of."

"You did what?" Ami asked. _Did I never tell her that?_ She stared at Estu, confused. _Guess not._

"I had to get money somehow," he pointed out. "It was the best use of my skills I could think of."

"Not a bad choice," the Lieutenant agreed. "Though I imagine you learned to be a bit sneaky about fighting."

"I can fight in a straightforward manner," Estu said.

"I believe you," he said, standing up. "Well, it was nice meeting you. There's gear in the attic, and I'm sure Ami can show you your quarters. I need to check on the evening patrol." With that, he walked out of the house.

"So what'd you think?" Ami asked, clearing the table.

"Seemed okay," Estu said. He helped her clean up, then glanced upstairs. "So how come he gave you a place here?"

"He's opened his house up to anyone who needs a space. Upstairs, there's another family from a vegetable farm just south of here. Their house was burnt. And downstairs, anyone who doesn't have a home, but is fighting on our side has a cot. There were a lot of people around here, not just in the town, who needed to stay, or wanted to help." _That's pretty generous of him_, Estu thought, impressed. "We've got the attic… it's a little small, but we have it to ourselves. I told him you have a lot of nightmares…"

"Why would you do that?" he asked, annoyed. It wasn't exactly something he liked to share.

"Because I didn't want to freak anyone out if you wake up panicking about a plane crash or your 'brother' dying," she said. "It'll be easier if they don't have to ask questions, and if it looks like we're being upfront about everything, they won't be as suspicious."

"…Good point," he admitted. "Course, they probably can't figure anything out if I couldn't," he said bitterly.

"I'm sure no one will care enough to pry," Ami said.

"I don't know… these guys fight monsters. Shouldn't they be good at recognizing one?"

"Don't talk about yourself that way," Ami scolded.

"Just being truthful," Estu said.

Ami sighed. "C'mon, I'll show you upstairs." Estu followed her up, looking at the few rooms up there, the multitude of cots in the guest room. Ami found the trap door for the attic and pulled the string down, revealing a ladder leading up.

Estu climbed carefully, and then crouched as he walked around, trying not to hit his head on the low ceiling. "Don't touch the insulation," Ami said as she climbed up. She looked at Estu, still ducking his head slightly. "Are you going to be able to walk okay?"

"Are you?" he asked.

"Well, considering you're a little taller than me now-"

"Wait. I am?" Estu asked, walking over to her. As it turned out, he had about an inch or two on her.

"Didn't you notice that at Costa del Sol?" Ami asked.

"No… ha, you're short."

"I'm not short, you jerk!" Ami said. "Anyway, we're practically the same height."

"I'm not even full grown yet," Estu said. "You're super short."

"Well, you know what? The jokes on you when you wake up and hit your head," Ami teased.

"And I'll heal the bruise, but you'll always be short," Estu quipped.

"Look, it's not my fault. I got my height from our family and… er… sorry," she said as Estu frowned.

"It's not your fault," Estu said quietly, sitting on one of the sleeping bags on the floor. Sometimes he managed to forget that he wasn't really related to her. Apparently, so did she. But then, he didn't have much in the way of a 'real' family. Six other copies… two scientists… him. But that wasn't family, just genetic relationships. And they were all long gone as far as he knew.

"So… you get a cool uniform," Ami said, trying to change the subject. Estu glanced up at her, a signal that he was listening. Ami smiled a bit. "Here, I'll show you." She pulled it out of a set of drawers. "This guy next door designed it to be a bit like the WRO unififorms," she explained. The uniform consisted of a dark grey sweater and long pants with a white jacket with cobalt buttons. Aside from that, Estu noticed a few grey belts and a brown pair of combat boots still in the drawer. "Not exactly military grade, but it's what we could get our hands on. I kinda like it."

"It looks nice," he agreed. "Wouldn't the white get dirty easily?"

"Yeah, but like I said, it looks a bit like the WRO's. Guess… I guess they're trying to show that they're still running strong," Ami said. "It's a pity there's no red hats, though. I found a nice ascot to go with mine."

"Ha, _ascot_."

She rolled her eyes. "Seriously? What are you, twelve?"

"Just about," he said. "So little alterations are okay?"

"Yeah, it's all pretty unofficial, after all. We aren't a real military, just a defense force. No one's going to take the hat, don't worry."

He nodded, crawling into the sleeping bag. He pulled his hat off and set it next to him. It had been a while since he'd gotten a chance to sleep without it. Ami looked over at him frowning slightly. It occurred to Estu that she hadn't even asked about Rocket Town. "…Ami?" She glanced over at him. "I… about… what…" He had trouble finding his voice again. "…Never mind."

"…Whenever you're ready," she said quietly, unzipping her sleeping bag. "Just… focus on the present for now." Estu nodded, closing his eyes. "I already told you… nothing's ever going to change between us." And Estu realized that she was right - nothing ever would. After everything they'd been through, after all the turmoil, the fighting, the pain between them, the year apart… she'd still forgiven him for everything he'd done. And he'd never even given a proper apology. The closest thing was when he'd said he was sorry about what happened in Costa del Sol, but aside from that…

"I'm sorry… about everything," he said. It didn't quite cover… at least he didn't think so.

"Me too… we were both idiots," Ami said.

"It was… my fault, mostly."

"It takes two to fight… anyway, you were just a kid… I guess I was too," she said tiredly.

"…I'm not sure I deserve…"

"Quit talking like that," she scolded again. "I love you more than anything. You know that, right, little brother?" _Another echo_… He'd said the exact same to… no. He didn't. "Night, Estu." Estu turned away, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in his stomach. If he was loved… did that make him a person? Did it mean he did matter? He fell asleep as he tried to come up with an answer to that.

* * *

><p>Vincent couldn't help but notice how uncomfortable Tifa was as they traveled through the maze. He could hear her teeth chattering, though she was trying not to let him, and her nose and cheeks had turned a bright red from the freezing air. "Perhaps we should take a break? Build a quick fire?" he suggested.<p>

"I'm all right, really," she said.

"Tifa, I'm tired."

"Vince, don't lie if you can't do it well." Vincent sat down, forcing her to stop for a moment. "Really? I told you I'm fine."

"You're frost bitten," Vincent replied, piling a bit of dead grass into a mound. He took a bit of firewood out of the backpack he carried and cast fire over it. "Warm up slowly. Then cast heal to repair any damage." Tifa reluctantly sat down, holding her hands over the fire. "Thank you. We can continue in a few minutes."

"I'm fine," she said stubbornly. "I didn't want to hold you up."

"You weren't fine. I've gotten pretty good at knowing when any of you need to stop," Vincent said.

"Well… I was fine."

"I'm serious. I had to learn whenever the rest of you were tired… none of you ever seem to want to stop until everyone else does, so I pay attention. I can even tell when Cid's about to crave a smoke."

"…Really? You're making that up."

"I'm not. I'll show you later," he said. He held his right hand out after slipping the glove off. The warmth of the fire felt nice on his cold skin. He didn't really generate his own heat anymore. Not like he used to. But he still felt chilly in spite of that.

"So do you think this second shard can help you?" Tifa asked.

"I hope so," he said quietly, looking at the talons of his gauntlet.

Tifa eyed the bronze claw. "Just wondering, but why don't you ever take that off?"

Vincent frowned. "I can't, really. My left arm is pretty damaged. The gauntlet protects it, allows for movement… I'd be crippled without it, not to mention in risk of quite a bit of pain."

"I thought you could heal anything?"

"Anything, except what's already there," Vincent said. "And… well, even without the gauntlet… it's not pretty." Tifa still stared at it curiously. Vincent tucked the claw under his jacket, a bit uncomfortable.

"Oh… sorry," Tifa said, looking back at the fire.

"It's fine… I'm actually surprised no one's asked before now." Then again, everyone knew Vincent could be a bit touchy about the experiment ordeal. They sat by the fire, warming up, until a sound came from the portable radio.

"Chief and Brat to Vampire and Karate Kid, do you read?"

Tifa rolled her eyes. "Chief, those are the worst code names I've ever heard."

"I know right? I wanted 'Treasure Princess,' but he said-"

"Shudup, Brat. She's exhausted, so we've gotta turn in for the night."

"You're the one who said you were about to fall over!" Yuffie protested.

"…Alright, we'll keep looking in the morning. Night, you two," Tifa said.

"Thanks. Over and out."

"Well, I guess now was a good time to stop," Tifa said, lying down.

"Looks like it," Vincent agreed. Tifa rested her head on her arm, curling up, tring to get comfortable. She still shivered, despite her proximitaty to the fire. "Here," Vincent said, taking his coat and handing it to her.

"No, I … I couldn't."

"Please? I'd feel better knowing you're okay," Vincent insisted. Tifa took the coat, tossing it over herself like a blanket. "…Better?"

"Yes. Thank you," Tifa said, closing her eyes. "You're such a gentleman." Vincent decided to take that as a compliment. "You really remind me… sometimes…"

Vincent chewed the inside of his cheek, knowing what she meant. "We'll… find him. I'm sure of it." Though his conviction wasn't as strong as it had previously been.

Tifa said nothing. Whether she'd fallen asleep or she just didn't want to talk anymore, Vincent couldn't tell. He kept his hands over the fire as he waited through the night.

* * *

><p>"<em>Tine? Brought you another puzzle," the black haired teenager said, stepping into the hospital room. His brother smiled slightly at the sight of the odd metal contraption he held. "They say this one's impossible to solve… think you can do it before next week?"<em>

"_Hope so," he said. "I'd say this will only take a day or two, though." Tine got right to manipulating a set of metal rings. "So… you'll be back in time, right?"_

"_Yeah, this whole Mideel assignment shouldn't take too long. I'll be back before you know it… you'll feel so much better. I promise." Tine nodded, his pale brown eyes studying the mechanisms of the puzzle. "I'll make sure… we'll have to do everything you missed out on. Maybe I can get Ace to take us to Costa del Sol and we can try surfing."_

"_Sounds fun," Tine said._

"_Though we might have to wait until after his wedding… or maybe we'll get a chance before. Depends on how fast you get better."_

"_Well you should get going then, faster you get back, faster I can get strong enough to kick your butt."_

"_Yeah, good luck with that," he laughed. _

_"Hey, when do you want this thing back?" Tine asked, holding up the metal puzzle._

_"Just... whenever you're better, all right?"_

_"Hm... okay, sounds good," Tine said, looking at it again. "I'll give it back when I'm alright... won't need it then, right?"_

_"Guess not," his brother said. "Well, see you!"_

_He tapped his fingers against the arm rest as the plane flew over the ocean. "Nervous?" Ace asked._

"_Not about this. Just another monster outbreak, right?"_

"_There's been a lot lately… Makes me nervous. I swear it's because of all the weird stuff they've got going on at HQ."_

"_Don't be paranoid, that's got nothing to do with this. Anyway, soon as I get back, Tine's going to be better. I'm really excited about that."_

_Ace frowned, "Kid… this may not fix everything. And if something goes wrong, he's gonna blame you."_

"_What? Why do you say that?"_

"_Because that's the type of person he is…" The teenager looked away, worried. Will he still hate me? Not after everything. There's no way. He's been so happy with me since I told him I'd gotten Father to help. Ace continued to fly in silence. Everything's going to be fine._

_Later, back at the hospital, Tine's eyes were closed, and several IVs were connected to his arms. "How's he doing?"_

"_So far so good," the father replied. The teen smiled. "But you shouldn't get your hopes up," the father added._

"_But you said Tine's-"_

"_Why do you insist on using that idiotic nickname?"_

"…_I'm sorry. Why do you think that I shouldn't get my hopes up?"_

_The father ignored him, looking at his younger son with disdain. Someday you'll know why I'm harder on you. You alone are special. The words echoed through the young man's head as he saw Tine stir. It was a few hours before he opened his eyes looking around. The older brother walked in, not even waiting for permission. "How do you feel?"_

_Tine took a deep breath. "Pretty good, actually. Really good." He laughed, then sat up, looking around the room. "Hey, can someone get these needles out of my arms? I wanna go run around a bit!" he joked. His brother couldn't help but grin. Finally, something was going right._

_After a few tests on his breathing, and a day in observation, the scientists and doctors that worked with the boys' father unhooked the machinery from Tine and let him walk around the hallway. He started off slowly, then ran. "Hey! C'mon, we're going to get in trouble!" the black haired teen protested._

"_Don't be such a downer! This is great, this feels great!" Tine said. After a while he slowed, walking around, looking at the sterile world of the hospital with newfound wonder. "Is this what it's like for you all the time? I'm so jealous."_

"_What do you mean?"_

"_I mean, this is so-" he was cut short by a sudden cough. He looked mildly annoyed, and cleared his throat. "Stupid throat swabs… anyway I-" he coughed again, but this time it wouldn't stop. His brother panicked calling for help while Tine stumbled, clutching his chest. "This… wasn't supposed… to happen…" he gasped. Specks of blood splattered onto the linoleum floor. The fit was worse than ever._

"_No! Help! Help! Please!" This is my fault… I only made it worse… A few of the doctors ran towards Tine. The father walked, calmly, coldly._

"_Give him another injection," he said quietly. One of the doctors nodded, stabbing Tine's arm with a syringe full of bright green fluid. Mako. After a few moments, Tine was able to breathe again. He looked around, still panicked. "Just as I thought," the father said, "he'll be dependent on it now. That mako is the only thing keeping him alive."_

"_Wh- what did you do to me?" Tine asked._

"_Exactly what your brother wanted."_

_This wasn't supposed to happen! The young man looked between his brother and father. No, this wasn't supposed to happen… It was supposed to help, not make him worse! Not make him die without the injections! "I… I'm sorry…"_

"_You did this on purpose, didn't you?"_

"_No! Well… yes, but I didn't think-" Tine ran back into his hospital room, slamming the door. "No, wait! Please! I didn't… I didn't think this would happen!" Everyone walked away from him, leaving the young man alone in the hallway. "I didn't mean to, please!"_

There was a loud tap on the attic floor. Estu opened his eyes and sat up, momentarily confused. _Nibelheim, attic of the Lieutenant's house_, he reminded himself. For some reason, remembering where he was, _who_ he was, was getting harder and harder in his first waking moments. "Ami?" he asked when the tapping started up again.

"I'm awake," she said drowsily. Then after a moment, she called, "All right, I'm up. Quit banging on the ceiling!" The tapping ceased and Ami stood, gathering clothes and braiding her hair back. "Yours are in the second drawer, by the way," she said, walking to the far side of the attic to get dressed.

Estu quickly dressed as well, pulling the sweater and pants on. He left the white coat unbuttoned, knowing the downstairs would be fairly warm. After getting dressed, Estu picked up his hat, pulling it over his hair. "Doesn't really match," he told Ami as she walked back over to him.

"Looks alright, all shades of white, black, and grey," she pointed out. She tied the ascot, more of a scarf, really, around her neck. "So, you ready to head downstairs?"

"Guess so," he said, opening the trap door and pushing the ladder down.

"Ey! Watchit!" A loud voice called up.

"Sorry Jarim!" Ami said. She slid down the rungs first, then waited on Estu, who climbed more carefully. Ami pushed the ladder back up and closed the attic before walking down stairs. "C'mon, I'm starving." Estu followed her silently to the kitchen, where he was met with the smells of sizzling bacon and biscuits. His stomach growled. He hadn't exactly eaten at regular intervals the last few days.

"Two plates, please, River," Ami said, looking at an old woman, fixing the food. She quickly fixed two plates before returning her attention to an omelet, probably for the Lieutenant. Estu held his plate uncertainly, looking around at the crowded house. He followed Ami outside where she sat with a tan young man and a teenage girl with spiky black hair. "Estu, this is Justin and Alexandra."

"Al," the girl corrected.

"Al," Ami said, rolling her eyes. Another teenager, this one a red head, sat down as well. "Hey Forrest," Ami greeted. _Oh god… how am I going to remember all these names? _

"So what sort of weird-ass name is Estu?" Al asked.

"Just a name," Estu answered. Justin raised an eyebrow. He glanced up at Estu, giving him a bit of an odd stare. Forrest seemed to pick up on his discomfort, probably feeling it as well, and scooted away from Estu discretely. Estu dejectedly toyed with his food. _…I didn't do anything_. But it didn't matter. It had been a while since Estu had dealt with the strange quality about him that seemed to repulse people a bit.

There were a few tries at conversation, Ami working on getting Estu involved as well, but it wasn't working. Being around the three strangers made Estu even more nervous than they were around him. Estu frowned, picking up his plate and walking away. Ami looked up and followed.

"All right, there?" she asked when they were out of ear shot.

"I'm just going to eat alone, if that's all right," he said quietly.

"Al's just a bit of a jerk at first, she warms up to people really quickly," Ami said.

"No… it's not that. I'm just not a people person. You know that. I'm going to be spending so much time around everyone so… I need a bit to myself is all." He knew she didn't really want to bring up the fact that Estu was nearly incapable of making friends. Ami still hesitated, scuffing her boot along the ground. "Really, it's okay. Go talk to them. I really don't mind being on my own," he said.

"Well… okay," Ami replied, walking off to finish breakfast. Estu ate quickly, worried about the rest of the day. _I was right… they really can sense monsters._

* * *

><p>The second day of searching was just as miserable as the first. Vincent and Tifa had been forced to turn around and backtrack more times than he cared to count. Once, they ran across Cid and Yuffie, who were making a map of where not to go. They copied it, hoping it would make the search go faster, but even by mid afternoon, they hadn't found the center. The weather made their day even worse. The cold was no longer as biting, but the mist had grown thicker and lower, making everything damp.<p>

The two of them plowed onward, long past any desire for conversation, occasionally being forced to dispatch a monster that found it's way into the maze. Late in the afternoon, Tifa took her frustration out on a Hungry who really picked a bad time to approach her.

"Tifa?" Vincent said cautiously as she kicked the monster's corpse.

"There's no way to the middle! This is ridiculous!" she shouted. The outburst surprised Vincent. Tifa kept her cool much better than most. "Well, now what? We've got another dead end ahead."

Vincent checked the map. "We go back and turn left at the second corridor. That's been unexplored."

Tifa walked back to the path in question, leading the way through the mist, when the walky-talky sounded. "Tifa! Tifa, this is bad," Yuffie said, sounding panicked.

"What's bad?" she asked.

"It's not here!"

Silence.

"What?" Tifa sounded almost heartbroken.

"Head out of here, we'll show you on the airship," Cid said.

Tifa looked over at Vincent in disbelief. He frowned and took the map back, leading the way towards the exit. It took nearly an hour, even when they knew where they were going. The intricacies of the maze astounded Vincent, or at least they would have if there had been a point to all of it. When they finally found the exit, Cid and Yuffie waited for them, looking exhausted and disappointed.

Cid held out a compact disk in a plastic case. "We found the center. One of the Deepground lackeys gave us this."

"There was a Deepground member here? Did you defeat him?" Vincent asked.

Cid shook his head. "Poor guy didn't wanna fight. Seemed so miserable and frozen anyway. Looked glad to see us."

"So what's on the disk?" Tifa asked.

Cid frowned, jerking his head towards the ship. They boarded, shedding the layers of frozen and damp clothing in the heated airship. Cid moved towards the ship's computer room, setting the disk in one. It was a video, as it turned out. Cid slowly pressed the play button.

An image of Weiss flickered onto the screen, looking serious. "Hello, AVALANCHE," he greeted. "If you are viewing this, then my son has actually managed to procure a part of the Proto-materia. Which means, if you are still alive, that in all likelihood, you have one… and I have one." He paused, tapping his fingers across the desk in front of him. "This won't serve either of us, a piece on each side, and one still missing. I have strength reserved, more opponents than you'll ever find. I suggest you hand the shard over."

"Yeah right!" Yuffie busted out in anger.

Weiss paused as if in anticipation of the outburst. "Yes, I realize you have met my request to have the materia with resistance. I'm no fool. But ask yourselves this – how many have lost their lives for you? The count is only climbing, and as you've forced me to use the Stratus program, there's no telling how many innocent lives have been lost… and how many you yourselves have taken." Vincent noticed everyone tense up at this previously unspoken truth – that many of the fighters they'd faced had no choice.

"I ask simply for you to stop interfering. That is all. If the materia is delivered to the Junon or Edge headquarters by the end of this month, all will be forgiven and the attacks will cease. If not…" his lips quirked slightly. "I'll be sure to find whatever you hold most dear and rip it away. Perhaps… the small, defeated nation of Wutai?" Yuffie cringed. "Or the towns you call home… Nibelheim? Rocket Town? Those you hold most dear? Innocent lives? You can protect each of these things with your simple cooperation. Or you could continue to act selfishly… but whatever comes of that will be exactly what you wished for. Be warned."

The video cut off, leaving them all at a loss. "He's plannin' his endgame, ain't he?" Cid said quietly.

"We can't… we can't give up," Yuffie said.

Tifa, who had stayed silent throughout the video stood up taller. "You're right, we can't. We have to play his game, take something he needs. We're going to have to go to their base, and take the shard back."

"What?" Cid asked.

"That's a bold move," Vincent said.

"Which means he won't see it coming. We've been working against him indirectly, so this could easily blindside him," Tifa said. "We get the shard and leave. Simple infiltration. Like back in Shinra HQ back in the day."

"…Wasn't that mission a bit of a flop?" Yuffie asked. None of them had actually been there at the time, besides Tifa.

"This is what we have to do. It's risky, but I'll bet he thinks we're not going to take as many risks after… after all we've lost."

"Or he wants us to, an' we're playin' right into his hands," Cid pointed out. "…Shit, what am I sayin'? Aren't you normally the cautious one?"

"So are we doing that or not?" Tifa asked.

"The only other option is tracking down the last shard, but that won't do us any good in the long run… and they may already have it if they managed to find this one first," Vincent pointed out.

"Well…" Cid sighed. "Then if that's what we've gotta do, we've gotta plan this one out. Which means we need to get in contact with two guys who specialize in this shit."

"…And who's that?" Yuffie asked.

Cid rolled his eyes. "Who d'you think? The Turks."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: For the record, the Lieutenant isn't an oc. First person to correctly guess who he is gets an internet cookie. **


	35. Chapter 35

_I don't know how much longer I can keep this up. _Estu deflected a blow with his sword, sidestepping a second, just in time. He moved forward, striking at his opponent, who dodged just as easily as he did. He'd been fighting for some time at that point, and needed to strike a finishing blow. Estu moved quickly, striking a bit wildly, but the Lieutenant only gave a wry smile. Before he knew what had happened, Estu's sword flew out of his hand, stabbing into the ground behind him.

"What-?" Estu looked back at it, annoyed. "Sorry… I swear I'm usually better than this," he said, pulling his sword out of the ground.

"No, no… it's been a while since I've had a sparing opponent as skilled as you," the Lieutenant said. "Your sister really wasn't kidding when she said you were good."

"You won," Estu said.

"Yeah, and I've been working on what I do for over a decade. And besides that… well, I have a few unfair advantages, not unlike yourself."

"…What are you talking about?" Estu asked. The man said nothing, instead giving him a pat on the shoulder. Estu jerked back, but not before the odd sensation he'd experienced at the reactor flashed through his mind. A pull, a whispering voice… He moved back a few paces, rubbing his head. _What was that?_ He looked up at the Lieutenant who tilted his head slightly, seeming concerned.

"Okay, Estu?"

"I'm fine… sorry, I don't really like being touched," he said. The strange pull and whispering had stopped as abruptly as it started, but he still felt strange. _Pull yourself together. He's going to think you're insane…_ But, then again, hearing voices didn't tend to be a good sign. _ I wonder if I am. No… pull yourself together. _"So… now what?" Estu asked when the Lieutenant didn't say anything.

The Lieutenant checked a schedule on his phone. "Well… I've got you for the mid-afternoon patrol group, same as Ami. As things are right now, we aren't planning any actual attacks, so after patrol each day, you're free to brush up your skills or relax. In the event of an attack you'll obviously help defend the town. But that's as far as your duties go." Estu nodded. For some reason, he'd hoped he'd be doing a bit… more.

"So… that's it then, sir?"

"Yeah… I'll see you around," he said, leaving Estu alone in the training area they'd set up.

Estu frowned, shoving his hands into his coat pockets. It wasn't even noon yet, and he had no idea how to occupy his time. He walked through the town, looking around. Everything about it seemed a bit busier than before. The militia had given the people a lot more activity, and with folks coming in from the surrounding areas, the small town was more crowded than it had ever been - the shops busier, the streets fuller. It was nothing like Junon or Costa del Sol, but it was still a bit too populated for Estu's taste.

He walked, trying to think things over. It had only been two days. Two days since he'd learned his origin, but something still seemed off about it. Vincent told him he may not understand for a while, but what he was told still felt wrong, somehow. Yet he couldn't slip back into his old armor of denial, as much as he wished he could.

Estu stopped at the edge of town, looking up at the old mansion. He'd felt something the last time he went there. And he knew things about the place that he couldn't explain. He'd just go in for a moment, just take a look around. Estu looked behind him to make sure no one watched and stepped into the decrepit house. It hadn't changed since his last visit, but seemed even more sinister after what he had found there. "Hello?" he asked. The only response was his own voice, bouncing off the walls. Estu wasn't sure what he had expected, no one had lived there in years, but it seemed so lonely in there.

_So this is where… I can't believe he's dead. After all this time…_

Estu shook his head as the familiar yet alien thought passed through it. He took a breath, inhaling the dusty air of the mansion. _What is it that I want from this place?_ He looked around, taking in every detail of the foyer. He entered a side room on the ground floor, listening to his own footsteps' echo and the creak of the floorboards.

He passed by an old cracked picture frame, pausing to wipe it off and examine it. Two men shook hands in a snowfield, a large outcrop of rock stood behind them. Estu examined their faces… one was Hojo, that was unmistakable, even though he seemed rather young. The other… Estu couldn't remember seeing him, but the name Gast seemed to ring in his ear.

It was cold inside the mansion. Cold and utterly devoid of life. It made Estu feel almost empty, with its oppressive loneliness. _There used to be monsters here_… An image of the black haired man slashing at a mirror-like creature appeared in his mind's eye. He shook the feeling of familiarity off again. _Not real…_ The lines between dreams and reality seemed to blur within the manor. For moments, visions of other people flashed over what Estu could see in front of him. Brief sights of intact floorboards that weren't really there nearly made him fall as he explored the silent rooms.

"Huh…" he stopped at the sight of a grand piano, sitting in one of the empty rooms. Dust coated it, making it look as though it hadn't been touched in years. "I'll just play a bit," he said aloud. He dusted it off, racking his brain for something simple. Unable to think of much, he put his fingers over the keys, willing them to act of their own accord.

The room stayed silent as he stared at the black and white keys. He frowned, trying the melody from his dream. He easily remembered how to play, but it still took a great deal of concentration to move his fingers correctly. _How can something seem so familiar and not at the same time?_ It didn't make sense to him. The tune… he'd heard it in his sleep, but never in real life. He'd never seen certain rooms of the mansion, but it felt as though he'd been there.

He played a different song on the edge of his memory, one he'd only heard sung before. He recognized the tune… it had comforted him a few times while he slept. It sounded more like a lullaby than anything else, and brought back an image of a red haired woman.

_Nothing makes any sense_… That bothered him. The more he learned, the less his world seemed to click. Nothing felt right anymore. He kept playing through the tune, trying to remember where he'd heard it. Eventually he gave up, letting the melody relax him, wash away all the uncertainties he felt about his life.

After a long time, he stopped, looking at the door. He really needed to get going to make his patrol rounds. He stood, brushed the dust off his clothes and exited. As he walked out the front door of the manor, he turned, giving it a knowing look. _I'll be back_, he decided as he walked back to town.

* * *

><p>"So how are we going to find them?" Vincent asked. Cid had been trying to think of a way to track down the two Turks. They still sat in the <em>Shera<em>, still far north.

Cid frowned at the question. "Only thing I can think of is sendin' a message over radio, but… well, everyone'll hear it, an' we'd lose the element of surprise."

"…So what do we do?"

"Last place we saw 'em was Gongaga. Maybe we can go down there, ask around as quiet as we can." Cid sighed, looking at the display of a world map. "Still ain't much of a plan, and it'll take all night to get there. Lucky we've got a real crew now, huh?"

Vincent nodded, looking at the distance between them and Gongaga. "It will only take a night?"

"Yeah… ship's fast," he said proudly. "Mind passin' that to Tifa? We'll get on that about an hour. Think she went outside, though."

"I'll find her," Vincent said, walking towards the exit. As he reached the exit on _Shera _he felt a tug on his sleeve. He glanced down. Marlene stood next to him, wrapped in a pink coat. _She's probably feeling lonely… a bit sad she has to come to _me_ for company. _"Hello," he said quietly.

"Hi… um…" she paused, looking down a bit.

"Do you want to come with me?" Vincent asked.

"Yes! …Where are we going?" she asked.

"We're looking for Tifa," he said, opening the door outside.

A blast of cold wind blew his hair back as he and Marlene stepped outside. The little girl shivered as she looked up at the snowflakes drifting down. "Pretty," she said, smiling. "Do you like the snow?"

"It's not too bad," Vincent answered, looking around. He didn't see Tifa anywhere. She couldn't have gone too far. Vincent walked around the ship, scanning the area surrounding it. "Hm… Have you spoken to her today?" Marlene shook her head.

"I just saw her step out after you guys watched the disk thingy. Is she okay?"

"…" _Is she? She seems a bit… unlike herself._ Vincent called for her, but there was no response. He frowned, actually worried. Vincent walked around the surrounding area, listening for her. A sound coming from the maze caught his attention.

With Marlene running to keep up, Vincent made his way to the maze, looking in for Tifa. She sat with her back against the wall, face buried in her hands. "Tifa?" Marlene asked. Tifa jumped, looking at the two. Her eyes were red and puffy. Vincent looked away, getting the feeling that he had stepped in on something very private.

"…Yeah, Vince?" Tifa asked, standing up.

"Cid wanted me to let you know we're leaving in an hour," he said quietly, pretending that he hadn't noticed she'd been crying.

"Right. Thanks for telling me. I'll be up in just a while," she said. Vincent nodded, pulling Marlene back towards the ship.

"Is she okay?" the girl asked.

"I don't think she wanted you to see that. Just pretend you didn't," Vincent said.

Marlene thought for a second, then said, "But that won't help her. Whenever someone else is upset, she'd stay with them and make them feel better, right?"

"I suppose that's right."

"But… that's what she does. But no one does that for her," Marlene continued. "That's not really fair… is it?"

"No."

"So someone should go back and be Tifa's … Tifa, right?"

Vincent nodded. "I think you're right. Can you do that? I trust you can handle any monsters that sneak up on you up here, just in case." Marlene pulled her sleeve up, showing an armlet on her wrist. "Make sure she's back in an hour," Vincent said.

"Okay, I will," Marlene replied, running back to the maze.

_Tifa's Tifa, huh?_ The one who kept everything together… seeing her upset was a shock. But Vincent wondered how long she'd been keeping that in. Perhaps when he was young… or even a few years before, Vincent would have wondered if Tifa's judgement was clouded, but now he trusted her. She was strong… she'd keep moving forward, no matter what. In that way, Tifa was the toughest of any of them.

* * *

><p>The rest of the day and night passed by quickly. Though Ami had gotten angry with him for disappearing for a while, she quickly became amicable again. She joked with him and the other member of their patrol group, a man in his forties named Jarim who didn't say much, lightening their spirits. Afterwards, she told him about the past days and how many people kept the militia running. It fascinated Estu, the idea of so many people working together so well. He'd never been much of a team player. That night, he managed to avoid dreaming, granting him a chance for actual rest.<p>

When morning came, the routine repeated. Breakfast alone, a bit of sword practice, exploring the Shinra mansion, patrol…

It wasn't until his third day there that something strange happened. His fingers ran more smoothly across the piano keys. With a bit of muscle memory, the tune came easier to him. He was so absorbed in what he was doing that he didn't realize that someone stood back, watching him.

"That's a pretty nice talent," the Lieutenant said. Estu jumped, drawing his sword before he realized who he spoke to.

"Ah… sorry, didn't realize it was you, sir," he said, sheathing the wakizashi.

"It's no problem. Have you played for long?" he asked.

"Er… yeah," Estu lied.

The Lieutenant smiled a bit. "Never had much talent for music, myself, but my friend Luxiere could play the violin. Not that he got much of a chance to show that off, of course."

"…What are you doing in here?" Estu asked, hoping he didn't sound too rude.

"I could ask you the same question," the Lieutenant pointed out. "But then, asking directly is one of the worst ways to get information. People are more likely to lie about themselves than other people. It's just all about knowing who to ask."

"Um… okay. But… why are you in here?"

"You didn't listen to a word I just said, did you?" the Lieutenant asked. "Anyway, I have just as much a right to be here as you, correct?"

"I guess," Estu said.

"…So you've been poking around here. Have you come across… a library of some kind? I heard a rumor that there was one here somewhere, but…" he paused, holding his arms up. "I can't find the damn thing!"

"I've… seen the library," Estu said cautiously.

"Really? Could you show me where it is?"

"What's in there that you want?" _I took my folder out. There probably isn't much he could find on me. _ But he still wanted to play it safe.

"If I tell you, will you show me where it is?" the Lieutenant asked. Estu thought about it, then nodded. "Well… To be truthful, I'm still looking for an old friend of mine. This was the last place he was before Shinra declared him dead."

"…Well, he's dead then, right?"

"Not necessarily. Though ever since Shinra fell… well, I don't know why he'd still be hiding somewhere, but I want to be sure." He looked away, back at the hallway. "I always looked out for him… he'd have done the same for me. I know he's probably dead but…like I said, I want to be sure. Don't really want to give up on him, you know?"

"I guess. So what was his name? I might be able to help you look," Estu said.

"…Zack Fair."

"Zack?" Estu remembered the dream he'd had. A boy, maybe only nine years old by the same name.

"Yeah. SOLDIER First, ever heard of him?" the Lieutenant asked.

"I… yeah, I guess I have." _Must have heard the name somewhere. That's gotta be it._ "Well… I'll just show you the library, then."

"Right. Thanks," the Lieutenant said, following Estu up the stairs. He stopped in front of the hidden spiral staircase. "…Dead end."

"Not exactly," Estu said, pressing a switch. The Lieutenant looked down the stairs, impressed. "Er… actually, maybe you can look a bit first. I don't want to go all the way down there right now. There's a door on the end of the hall. Library's there."

"I see… thanks."

"No problem," Estu said, turning away.

"Ah, and Estu? Could you not mention this to anyone?" he asked. "Information can be rather dangerous… I know that better than anyone."

"I won't tell anyone what you're doing," Estu promised.

"Good man. I'll see you later," the Lieutenant said, climbing down the stairs.

Estu turned and walked out of the mansion, again unsure what to think of the man. He seemed so friendly, but kept his secrets closely guarded. But then… if he told Estu what he did… Estu didn't think he'd lied, but someone that distrustful would want something more in return. Unless they already had a safeguard. _I have a few unfair advantages, not unlike yourself. _Could he possible know already?

* * *

><p>A few hours of silently combing the town made it obvious that the Turks were no longer in Gongaga. Vincent, after looking around, went back on the airship while the others asked around. He stood out far too much to stick around the town.<p>

Late in the evening, the others returned, looking exhausted. "We finally found some who told us the last they'd heard they were going to Corel," Yuffie said.

"Corel. Interesting," Vincent said. That was one of the locations that was attacked.

"So we'll just head out there tonight," Cid told the crew. "Quit lookin' at me like that. I pay you for #$%^'s sake!"

After a second all-nighter, they arrived in Corel. The small mining town had gained importance after meteorfall. With the disuse of mako energy, came the reinstatement of coal and oil, giving the community's economy a much needed boost. Though it looked as though these days, Corel was struggling to keep up. Deepground utilized mako, so the only use for the fossil fuels would be to power the resisting cities. And exporting could be difficult in the middle of war.

They asked around the town, again without result. Reno and Rude, as well as a woman carrying a shuriken had been there, and had broken Deepground's control over the town, but they had left for Cosmo Canyon shortly after.

"God damn it! Why do these guys move around so much?" Cid asked.

Tifa sighed. "Guess we're heading back to the canyon again."

After yet another overnight flight, the crew on the _Shera _looked exhausted. Vincent hoped that for their sake, Reno and Rude would still be there.

Unfortunately… "Yes, they were here," Nanaki told them. "But…"

"But…?" Yuffie asked, looking annoyed.

"But they left just a few days ago. You just barely missed them," Nanaki said, swishing his tail.

"Seriously?"

"Seriously indeed," he said. "Sorry about that."

"D'you know where they were headed?" Cid asked.

"Costa del Sol. They said they'd do you a favor and break the last stronghold Deepground has here. I allowed them to borrow some of the Whiteshirts… I hope you don't mind?"

Cid sighed. "Okay… let's go. AGAIN."

Vincent nudged Tifa's shoulder as Cid paced waiting for _Shera_ to be refueled. He held up his hand, counting down from five. Five, four, three, two, one… then, right on cue, Cid reached into his pocket for a cigarette and lighter.

"Ha, how'd you do that?" Tifa asked. Cid looked back at them, confused. "Hey Cid, Vincent's psychic!"

"Just cause he hears voices don't make 'im crazy," Cid said.

"Psychic, not psychotic," Vincent said, unamused.

Despite protests from the crew, they pulled the fourth all-nighter in a row in order to reach Costa del Sol. Perhaps they'd finally catch up with the two, but the search was starting to seem like a wild Chocobo chase.

* * *

><p>"<em>This is Zöld, voice of the world… does that sound too pretentious? Ah well, anyway I<em>-"

"Could you please shut that off?" Estu asked, glaring at the portable radio resting on Ami's shoulder. She'd brought it along to make patrolling the town's parameter go by faster.

"Shush, I'm tryin' to listen!" Jarim said. "Turn it up, Ami."

"Turn it off," Estu said.

"Up."

"Off!"

"Up!"

"_Off_!"

"Would both of you just shut up?" Ami asked.

"_And word going around is that some sort of deal needs to be reached between AVALANCHE and Deepground by the end of the month. And since it's already the 28__th__… Well, I hope they know what they're doing. I'll follow these developments and report in when I've got more info. Stay safe and spread the word. Zöld out."_

"Great, missed most of it. Are you two happy?" Ami asked.

"No," Estu said uncomfortably. Even under all the distortion, Tony's voice made his hair stand on end.

After their rounds, Estu walked up to the Nibelheim post office, as he'd been making a habit of doing. A sandy haired girl about his age gave a slight smile from behind the counter. Estu looked away. "Hello, again," he started, trying to be polite.

"Hello… you come in here a lot," she said. "I like your eyes, by the way, they're a nice shade of green."

Estu swallowed nervously, looking down. It was fairly dim inside the office, so his pupils probably looked fairly normal, but he didn't want to take that chance. "So did I get anything… er…"

"Taylor," she reminded him.

"Did I get anything, Taylor?" he asked.

"There was a package with your name on it, but the Lieutenant took it," she said.

"You let him take my mail?" Estu asked.

"Well… he…"

"Why? ….Never mind, where is he?"

"His house, I think," Taylor said. "Hey, I was wondering, do you want to hang out sometime?"

"...What?" he asked, confused. "No… no, sorry. I need to go," he said, quickly walking out of the store. He ran to the Lieutenant's house, careful to avoid the people running in and out, and swiftly entered. The Lieutenant stood, leaning against a wall and holding an envelope. "…That's mine," Estu said.

"Yes… it is. Though I saw the note on the back and had to take a look."

"Note?" The Lieutenant nodded, holding the envelope up.

_Estu._

_Hope this reaches you okay._

_It took much less time to write this than I'd thought._

_You'll have to pass this along to your friends in the Nibelheim militia._

_I'm sure it'll help them fight against our foes in Junon._

_The best regards and luck,_

_Tony._

Estu wondered if Tony had planned on someone seeing that. _He probably did… manipulative jerk. _

"So, I was curious what was in here," the Lieutenant said simply. "I wanted to wait for your permission to open it, of course."

"There's a section I don't want anyone to see. You can have the rest," Estu said, holding his hand out.

"What's in this section?" he asked curiously. "…Ah… that's personal, isn't it? Sorry… slipping into my old habits. Well, give me what you're fine with the rest of us seeing, I suppose. Are you going to need a marker to redact anything?"

"I'm not covering anything up, it's just one section that wouldn't help anyone," Estu said.

"Oh… I didn't mean to imply… no, sorry about that."

"It's fine… sir," Estu said, taking the files. He glanced over his shoulder to make sure no one looked at him, and then removed the section on Project S-2. "Here," he said, handing the rest of it back.

The Lieutenant smiled, flipping through the pages. "This has information on Deepground… excellent."

"Right… I'll just be going," Estu said. The Lieutenant simply nodded, already digging through the information. Estu first walked, then ran up the stairs, nearly knocking the old farmer who stayed on the second floor over. He jumped and pulled at the door for the attic and climbed up as quickly as he could. He closed the trap door, looked around and sat down on his sleeping bag, clutching the files in his hands.

_That was close_. He didn't know what he would do if everyone learned who he was… what he was. Tony had said the files would take several days to write down, but he'd gotten them there in little time. Estu wasn't sure whether to be glad or angry at him for lying. Considering it had to travel all the way down there, it had to have only taken him a day.

…_He could've written them down that day, but he'd rather use me for entertainment_, Estu realized. Even though he'd never really trusted Tony, he felt betrayed. He decided he'd have to be more careful. But a secret as big as his was bound to get out eventually.

"Estu!" he heard Ami call about thirty minutes later. Estu tucked the papers under one of his uniforms and walked down the stairs. She stood with a few others looking at the files excitedly. "Look! This is so great!" she said, grinning.

"What's great?" Estu asked, shying away from all the eyes on him.

"These guys have got a weakness! Apparently anyone above the very lowest ranks are complete mako junkies. Cut off the supply, and they've got no strength!"

The Lieutenant stepped in. "The addiction varies, of course, but the top members can't even go more than a day without the stuff. This was a great find."

"Really… so none of them can go without it?" Estu asked, interested.

"The only one who could was Nero the Sable, and he's apparently in some sort of stasis, practically dead. Oh… and one named Azul, as well, but he isn't a fighter. The rest of them need the stuff. There's just one problem, looks like there's a few pages missing on Argento, Rosso, and Shelke. They were noted to be special cases, but I'm not sure what the extent of their abilities are."

"Oh… so… now what?" Estu asked.

"Well, we were wondering if you had a way of contacting whoever sent you this," Ami said.

"I've got his number upstairs," Estu offered.

"Nice! Go get it!" Ami said.

Estu nodded, quickly retrieving the number. "Er… can I borrow a phone?" he asked. The black haired girl, whose name he couldn't recall, wordlessly handed hers over. "Thanks," Estu said, dialing the number.

A dial tone rang in his ear as Estu tapped his foot, impatiently waiting. After a few moments, someone picked up the phone.

"_Walker repair shop, Ace speaking_."

Estu dropped the phone, completely stunned.

"Hey! My PHS!" the girl whined. Estu barely heard her.

"Ace Walker… no way… that's not…" he whispered.

"Estu?" Ami asked, looking at him with concern. "Estu, what's wrong?"

"I… I think I just spoke to a ghost."

"A ghost?" the Lieutenant asked. He picked the phone off the ground. "Hello, may I speak to a…"

"T- Tony," Estu said, voice barely above a whisper.

"Tony," the Lieutenant said. He waited for a moment, then smiled. "Ah, hello. I'm the de facto leader of the Nibelheim militia, and I was hoping you could tell me a few things about the files you sent. …Er… yes, I have a name. …Zack Fair," he offered. After a moment, he frowned. "What do you mean, I'm lying? …No, I'm not. Fine, it's David Jones. …No, I'm not lying!" He looked around the room of people, frustrated.

"Sir," Jarim said.

"Not now. How do you know I'm-" he was apparently cut off by a long explaination. After a while, the Lieutenant sighed. "All right…Fine… It's Kunsel. …You're welcome," he muttered. "Now, I'm missing a few pages on Argento, Shelke, and Rosso. Do you have any copies? No? You have them memorized? …Really?" Estu thought he caught a bit of Tony's rapid voice before the Lieutenant waved his hand. "…Stop, okay, I believe you. Here, I'm handing the phone off to someone, you speak they'll write." The Lieutenant looked around the room. "Could someone take this? Please?" he asked, irritated.

Jarim took the phone, walking over to the table and getting a pen and paper to write. "Ey, slow it down!" he shouted. "Thanks."

The Lieutenant slipped his fingers under his helmet, massaging a temple. "The rest of you are dismissed for now. Get back to whatever you were doing." A bit of murmuring started up, and everyone seemed reluctant to leave. "Get going!" The house quickly cleared. None of them had seen the normally friendly and easy-going Lieutenant like that. Estu began to move up to the attic, but the Lieutenant stopped him, grabbing his arm. "No, you stay for a bit."

Estu shut his eyes as the whispers started up. It was actually painful that time. Everything, from the hum of the ceiling fan to the scratches from Jarim writing, was drowned out. Estu grit his teeth, trying to focus enough to speak. "Please let go," he said, trying to concentrate on his words, trying to sound as normal as he could. His arm was released and the sensation stopped again. Estu realized he was shaking slightly and took a few breaths, trying to stabilize himself.

"…All right, what's wrong with you?"

"Nothing, I'm fine," Estu said, standing up straighter. "What do you need, sir?"

"Who is that… boy?" he asked.

"Tony Hopkins?" That answer didn't seem to fly. "He's also Zöld from the radio."

"Him? Really? …Well that makes sense, I guess."

"…Was that really your name?" Estu asked.

"…I haven't used it in years, but… yeah, it was," Kunsel said.

"Why's it a secret?" Estu asked.

The Lieutenant sighed. "It's a long story. Self protection mostly. You understand that, right? I can tell you aren't… I'm not sure what they did to you, but you reek of Shinra funny business." Estu bit his lip, looking away from him. "Not that I'd hold that against you," Kunsel said. "I doubt you had any choice in the matter, and… I've got too much I'm hiding to care without being a hypocrite."

"…Thank you?" Estu said, a bit unsure.

"So this kid," Kunsel said after a pause, "he a friend of yours?"

"Not exactly. I met him in Junon, and… well, circumstances made us meet again. I… owe him, and he helped me in a way, I suppose, but he isn't my friend. Far from it."

"…Reminds me of myself when I was his age. Though he's a bit… forceful. People who know more than they should… they're kind of scary, don't you think?" he asked with a knowing smile.

"…Yeah, you could say that," Estu said.

"Hm… well, then. Carry on," Kunsel said, stepping outside. Estu sighed, feeling oddly exhausted. He grabbed a quick snack from the pantry then headed upstairs to go to bed early.

* * *

><p>"Turks?" a young shopkeeper asked. They'd decided to visit some of the local businesses first. Cid and Tifa were tackling bars, while Vincent and Yuffie spoke to the employees of souvenir shops. The one in question, Wutai Wares, caught Yuffie's eye when she spotted a mistake in her language on the store's window.<p>

"Yeah," Yuffie said, "a red head with goofy cheek tats and a bald guy wearing sunglasses. They kinda stand out."

The shopkeeper shrugged. "It's a resort town. If I had a gil for ever set of sunglasses and ill conceived tattoo I saw, I could close shop and retire," she pointed out.

Vincent frowned, looking around the shop and spying something interesting on the wall. A framed photograph of a dark haired young woman in a purple kimono. "…Ami Matsumoto?" he asked, pointing at it.

"Oh! …Um, yeah. She used to work here, but I can't find her these days," the shopkeeper explained. "Employee of the month for six months running. Have you met her or something?"

"A few times, yes," Vincent answered. "Not too long ago, actually."

"Really? Is she okay? See, I'm friends with her and-"

"Can you tell us about the Turks?" Vincent asked.

"No, but is Ami-" she stopped as Vincent turned and left. "What… but…"

"She's fine," Yuffie said quickly. "Alive and kicking." She turned and ran after Vincent as he moved towards the next shop. "You could've been nicer," she said.

"Yuffie, we don't have time. It's the 29th… we've only got two days until all hell breaks loose."

Yuffie sighed, looking away when her walky-talky made a sound. "_Brat? You read_?"

"Quit that!" she said. "So d'you find anything?"

"_Yeah, they left the #$%^ing day before yesterday. An' guess where they're heading_."

"…Er… Mideel?"

"_Why the hell would they go there?_" Cid asked.

"I don't know! You told me to guess!"

"_C'mon, just get back to the #$%^ing ship_," Cid said.

Vincent frowned as they walked back to the _Shera. _Where ever the two were, he hoped they'd catch up with them this time.

* * *

><p>After a night of fitful sleep, Estu got ready for the day. He felt almost lifeless, and still utterly confused by the answer he'd gotten from Tony's number. <em>Ace Walker… you're a real person?<em> He must have… No, all these coincidences were getting absurd. There was something bigger going on there.

Estu walked downstairs with Ami, trying to look ahead, focus on the present as she'd told him. The downstairs was oddly empty that day, but Estu saw that Kunsel was talking to a trio of people in suits. "Who… are they?" Ami asked, looking over at them.

Estu stared at the two men. He'd seen them before in Gongaga. The Turks. Kunsel paused from chatting with the woman with them, and looked up at Estu and Ami. "Morning, you two. If you could step outside, that would be great," he said.

The redhead glanced back, giving a slight smirk. "Hey, look, partner. It's Achoo."

"Estu," he and Rude corrected simultaneously.

"…Huh," Kunsel said, interested. "Well then, you guys are acquainted…. So Cissnei, what brings you up here?"

"Obviously I needed your help to fight Deepground off. We've got two days until… something happens," the woman said. So… do you have a way of getting in touch with AVALANCHE?"

Kunsel's lips quirked up. "As a matter of fact, I do. Guess we'll be having a bit of a reunion, huh?"


	36. Chapter 36

"Hey, Cid, we've got a call," Shera said, bringing Cid his cell phone.

"Put 'em on speaker," Cid said. He crossed his arms as Shera did, looking out at the jungles they had to fly over again.

"Hello?" Shera tentatively answered.

"_Mrs. Highwind_?"

"…Reno?"

"Reno! ?" Cid asked, turning towards the phone.

"_Oh hey, Pops, what's up?_"

"You #$%^ing asshole! Where the #$%^ have ya been?" Cid shouted. On the other end of the line, Reno laughed at him.

"_Where've you been, yo? Me and Rude tried findin' you."_

"Yeah, an' ya couldn't've waited another goddamn day? We just left #$%^in' Costa del Sol."

"_Oh, hey, us too,_" Reno said.

"Yeah, I know," Cid muttered, face reddening. "So now you're in-"

"_Nibelheim. Heard you were making an army of some sort… kind of a little one._" Someone in the background objected to that. "_Aw, calm down man, I was kiddin'… jeez who would've figured an ex. SOLDIER could be so touchy?_"

"Ex. SOLDIER?" Vincent asked. Cid glanced back at him. Apparently he hadn't even realized Vincent was in the room, much less listening. "Reno, are you talking about-"

"_No, sorry Vampy…Not talking about Cloud."_ For once, Reno seemed sincere._ "Sorry. Say hey, Kunsel!_"

"…_Hey?_" came the uncertain reply.

"_Anyway, you guys are on the way, right_?" Reno asked.

"We'll get there tonight," Cid said.

"_Taking your time, eh Pops?_"

"Shera, hang up the goddamn phone."

"_Aw, C'mon, you-" _Shera flipped the phone shut before he could finish.

"#$%^ing Turks," Cid said. "Well, at least we'll find 'em this time."

* * *

><p>The redheaded Turk smirked as he hung up the phone. "Yeah, they're on the way."<p>

"Good," Rude said.

"Reno, did you have to mention all that SOLDIER crap?" Kunsel asked.

Ami looked interested in that. "Were you really a SOLDIER, sir?"

The Lieutenant frowned. "SOLDIER, second class… but that was a long time ago. Now... if they're coming here…" Kunsel paced a bit, thinking. " …Estu?" Estu looked up at Kunsel, glad he couldn't see his eyes. "I got to thinking yesterday… How are you involved in all this? You traveled with AVALANCHE, you know these guys-"

"I've never met him," the woman said.

"…Well. Sorry, Cissnei. But seriously, AVALANCHE, the Turks, the files, Zöld… what's going on here?"

Estu held his hands up. "I just wanted to get to this town… but… stuff happened. I kind of got involved on accident." But that wasn't exactly true, was it? Given his tie to Weiss, he was probably bound to get caught up in the current events regardless of which path he'd taken.

"Soon as they get here, we need to plan our next move," Cissnei said. "I wonder if there's anyone else who can help us… Do you have contact with Luxiere anymore, Kunsel?"

"Nah, he died four years ago. Anyway, he never wanted to leave the company, especially after he made first," the Lieutenant said. For someone who was apparently his friend, Kunsel spoke about Luxiere in a rather detached way. "Couldn't get him to help me… I guess admiration only goes so far."

"Oh…" Cissnei said quietly. "I'm sorry." Kunsel shrugged, walking away from her, back to Ami and Estu.

"You two don't need to be up here right now. You already know what you're supposed to be doing. Just come back when they get here," he said. Ami nodded, and pulled Estu out of the house by his sleeve.

They walked to the training area quietly, looking around the town. The arrival of the Turks managed to stir things up a bit, given the way people tried to look into the windows of the Lieutenant's house. They heard a few whispers as they passed by people. "Name's 'Kunsel', apparently." "Wonder why he never told anyone?" "Why's he wearing that helmet, anyway?" "I still trust him." "Eh… I guess he's still alright, but why was he hiding?"

"…Poor guy," Ami said, watching a pair of kids 'spar' with toy swords. "He didn't seem prepared for everyone to find him out so suddenly. I guess it makes more sense… him being with SOLDIER and all."

"What's that got to do with anything?" Estu asked.

Ami frowned. "Guess you can't remember much about them, huh?"

"…I know enough about the SOLDIER division," Estu said. Of course most of that information came from dreams… but apparently his dreams managed to contain fact.

"Well… people in upper Midgar, those who were under their protection, always loved SOLDIER… but the rest of the world... Lots of people hated them, were afraid of them. Especially in Wutai after the war. It's kinda weird, coming from Midgar and thinking of them as heroes, then hearing that they destroyed your 'home.' …I dunno, I've always been more of a Midgarian than Wutaian though. It's probably more your home than mine."

"But I'm not actually… never mind. So was that why he was hiding?"

"Who knows?" Ami shrugged. "But I doubt he'll ever willingly tell us." True. Kunsel had said already that information could be dangerous. Which made the files look a lot more powerful than Estu had thought.

* * *

><p>They finally arrived, late into the evening. They patrol group out on rounds stared at the massive airship as it descended. Vincent flipped the collar of his coat up as he stepped off. As he neared town with the others, he saw that Ami and Estu stood near the entrance waiting on them.<p>

"Estu!" Marlene said, waving. He gave a slight smile and raise of his hand back. Though he had dark circles under his eyes and still looked a bit disheveled, he looked like he was doing a bit better than the last time Vincent had seen him.

Marlene ran towards Estu, wrapping her arms around him. "Don't. Do. That," he said, trying to pry her off.

"I missed you!" Marlene said.

"It's only been about a week! Let go already!" Vincent smiled slightly as Estu tried and failed to struggle away from her grip. When Marlene finally let him go, he walked over to Denzel, catching up with him, but all the while eyeing Vincent. Denzel seemed to mistake this for the way his eyes normally strayed away, however.

"Ay! Vince!" Reno shouted. Vincent frowned worriedly, wondering if Reno still hated him for what happened in Costa del Sol. However, he seemed pretty relaxed. "Yo, Vamps, how's it going?"

"Er… fine. Just fine," Vincent answered. "Listen, I'm so-"

"Yeah, yeah, you're sorry all about the whole Reeve thing. Water under the bridge, you know?"

"…Sure."

"You asshole!" Cid said walking towards him.

"'Sup, Pops?"

"Quit #$%^ing calling me that!" Cid said, jabbing a finger at his chest. "Do you know we've spent the last five days looking for you… two?" Cid glanced back at the young woman standing behind him. "Um… howdy? And you're…?"

"You can call me Cissnei, recently reinstated Turk," she said.

"More Turks… great," Cid said.

Cissnei frowned a bit then looked over at Vincent in amazement. "Vincent Valentine?"

"Yes?"

"Oh… It's really you. That's amazing! Veld told me about you!" she said, admiration clearly showing in her eyes. "I've always been a fan."

"Oh…" he wasn't quite sure what to say to that. Yuffie, who had just caught up with him looked over Cissnei, from her neat suit to the shuriken she toted around. She pursed he lips slightly and gripped Vincent's arm.

"C'mon, Vinnie, let's get going," she said, pulling him away from Cissnei. Vincent rolled his eyes, wondering what had gotten into her.

"Could you let go? I'd like to see what the current plans are."

"Aw, Cid and them have to battle a bit before then, nothings getting done for a while." Vincent sighed and swiftly pulled his arm away from her. "Hey! What was that for?"

"I don't remember asking for you to pull me along like that," he stated. Yuffie crossed her arms and walked ahead to Tifa's house, giving Vincent the cold shoulder. _…Okay. I wish that would've worked before._

Vincent walked over to Cid, listening to him and Reno argue about who'd managed to get more accomplished, and though he hated to admit it, the Turks had done well. Three cities liberated from Deepground control within just a couple of weeks. It was an impressive feat anyway one looked at it.

"Yeah… well… #$%^," Cid muttered. "Alright, bring whoever you've got, we'll meet up in Tifa's in fifteen minutes."

"Sure thing, Pops."

"Quit that!"

It took little time to set everything up in Tifa's house. Everyone gathered around the 'conference' table. With the large number of people, a few had to stand, leaning against walls, or sitting out of place in spare chairs. AVALANCHE, Estu and Ami, the Turks, and one man in a helmet glanced at each other.

"Well… let's get started then," Cid said. "…Deepground has a Proto-materia shard, we want to take it back. How do we do that?"

"They've turned the Central Skyscraper into their main Headquarters… think it's there?" Cissnei asked.

"That's what we're countin' on."

"…So what's a Proto-materia shard?" the helmeted man asked. Everyone was silent for a moment. They'd forgotten about the newcomer.

"What's your name again?" Tifa asked.

"…Lieutenant-"

"Kunsel," Cissnei said. He looked at her, apparently annoyed, though it was hard to tell under the helmet. "SOLDIER, second class."

"…Thanks Cissnei," he muttered, just loud enough for Vincent to hear. "Anyway, right now Weiss is in Junon as well, so that's where the… whatever shard is most likely to be, right?"

"How'd you know he's there?" Cid asked.

"I've got a few eyes and ears in Junon," he said, smiling.

"Well, good," Tifa said. "So, how do we approach this? Rude, any thoughts?"

"…"

"Rude?"

"…"

"…Shit, c'mon, Rude!" Cid said.

"Sorry. If we created a diversion in one part of the city, we could make it easier to get into Deepground HQ."

"That's a good idea," Tifa said. Rude blushed and lowered his sunglasses, muttering a quick 'thank you.' "Lieutenant, do you have any maps of Junon?"

Kunsel nodded, holding out his phone. "Got an awesome app, right here!"

"Yeah, and we'll just all huddle together to see that tiny screen," Reno muttered.

"Oh… right. Well, I have a few paper ones." He turned to Ami. "Could you go get those out of my house? Jarim will show you where they are." She nodded, quickly running out. Estu tapped his fingers across the table, looking distracted. They all waited for her to get back. After a few minutes, Ami returned carrying a bundle of maps in her arms.

"Alright, let's see," Cid said, unfolding the maps. "HQ's here," Cid pointed just right to the center of the map. "So where to stage a distraction?"

"Northwest Junon is mostly slums… they'd probably ignore anything there," Kunsel said. "Most of what they'd try to protect is in the middle of the city."

"But it needs to be far enough away…" Tifa said.

"Well duh, the shipyard!" Yuffie said.

"Ship yard," Reno said, nodding. "That otta work." _They wouldn't want any ships to be destroyed… too expensive, but it's still pretty far away. That's actually smart of her_.

"Well… We'll need one group for the distraction, one to actually enter the building, and one to provide backup and fight the troops that remain in the building," Cissnei said. "Right now there's … ten of us?"

"Eleven," Denzel corrected.

"Too dangerous," Tifa said. Denzel crossed his arms, sulking in the corner of the room.

"Well… Any additional troops here could help," she continued. "Would there be any volunteers, Kunsel?"

"Yeah, I'm sure there's people who'd want to fight. And there's also the matter of cutting off their mako supply."

"Mako?" Cid asked.

"Oh, right," Kunsel grinned. He pulled a large stack of papers from under his chair. "This… well, I suppose you all know about the files that Estu managed to get?"

"The coded ones you stole?" Yuffie asked.

"I didn't steal anything!" Estu said.

"Calm the #%$% down, both of you," Cid snapped. "So what about those?"

"Well," Kunsel began, "I looked over them, and as it turns out a good portion of Deepground is dependent on mako for strength. We cut it off, they go right down."

"That'll make it easier… anythin' else?"

"Just stuff about Weiss and the 'special' cases… Nero, Argento, Shelke, Rosso, Azul…"

"Azul… you mean the Zul that worked for WRO? What's so special about him?" Yuffie asked.

Kunsel flipped through the papers. "He was the product of human experimentation… though instead of superior strength, he got an IQ boost. The file notes that even at the age of eight, he could engineer complex devices and programs."

"Huh… that explains a lot."

"The rest of them are pretty interesting as well," Kunsel said. "Shelke… I hadn't even heard of this one before yesterday, but she's able to access the World Wireless Network and other databases with her mind. Besides that, she's a speed demon, not to be underestimated, even though she looks like a child. And… Estu said you'd already encountered Rosso?"

"Yeah… tough one," Tifa said.

"She's apparently the height of strength… and her psych profile was… interesting. She's the one to watch out for, if she's there."

"What about Argento?" Cid asked, rubbing his chin.

Kunsel shrugged. "Really not much to worry about. He's second in command, but that's probably just because he's Weiss's son. I mean, he's mako enhanced, so he's more powerful than normal, but… he's really not to special in any regard, at least as far as the mako enhanced individuals go, average abilities, average speed, somewhat above average agility."

"They guy spins all over the place," Denzel said. "Dunno how he doesn't get dizzy."

A few people at the table chuckled at that. Kunsel straightened his helmet slightly before continuing, "Maybe that's what's unique about him - he has an amazing inner ear. But in all seriousness, he's nothing the average third class SOLDIER couldn't fight with, much less any of you. The only thing was he was the second ever Deepground operative, but nowhere near the best."

"What about 'Nero?'" Vincent asked. He hadn't heard of that one either.

Kunsel shrugged. "Well, he _was_ a force to be reckoned with. Strong, agile, fast, a master swordsman, but he's for all intents and purposes dead. Been that way for the last… seven years? Well unless Weiss has some way of bringing him back, you've got nothing to be concerned about."

"So we cut off their mako supply," Cid said. "Sounds like we'd need someone sneaky. Yuffie?"

She grinned, "Sounds like fun."

"I'm fairly talented in stealth bases endeavors," Cissnei said. "I could help her."

"Great," Yuffie muttered.

"Me, Reno, an' Rude can provide the distraction," Cid continued. "Vince, do you want the honor of getting the shard?"

"I believe I can do that."

"Right, so that leave the rest of us to back you up," Tifa said. Ami, Estu, and Kunsel nodded.

"And we've got Nibelheim troops for extra ground support," Kunsel said.

"My crew for air support," Cid added. "Well, I think we should get going now."

"Now?" Kunsel asked, surprised.

"Yeah, it'll take all night to get there. Then we've got a day to cut off the mako, and do all that crap the next."

"On the last day of the month," Vincent said.

"We'll fly out of Junon, then… I guess we need to go to the Crystal Cave," Tifa said, looking at Vincent. "Maybe she can tell us where the last shard is." Vincent slowly nodded. Everyone aside from her, Cid, and Yuffie looked confused, but he didn't plan on explaining to them.

"Well, let's get going. Kunsel, get the troops together," Cid said.

"Yes sir," Kunsel replied, standing. Ami and Estu gave him a weird look, as though he'd said something strange. Ami walked with Kunsel and the Turks, while Estu stayed behind, glancing at Vincent. Vincent sighed and stood, walking over to the living room. Estu quickly followed.

"Is there something you need to tell me?" Vincent asked.

"I… I think I'm going insane," Estu said, looking down. Vincent frowned at the statement. "I've been looking around the mansion lately and I keep seeing all these flashes of stuff that's not there. And when we passed by the reactor on the way here I felt… really weird. And the same thing happens when I'm around Kunsel sometimes… and I…" He stopped, biting his lip. "I hear… voices. It's happened twice… no, three times now. Weird whispers… and I don't know why. I think I'm crazy."

"You're acting fairly rational," Vincent said. "You said the same thing happened around the reactor and around Kunsel?" Estu nodded. "It could be a reaction to Jenova cells. SOLDIERS have some within their bodies, and there's a good chance that there are a few at the reactor still."

"Jenova cells… but why are they affecting me like this?"

"Hm… there are fewer left in the world now. Perhaps the pull between them is stronger. You probably have the most of anyone alive. That could be why you feel the effect."

"So I'm not crazy?" he asked, looking relieved. "…There's still the weird stuff at the mansion."

"I don't know why that would happen, but I don't think you're insane," Vincent said.

"Thanks… I've been worried about that for a while now. I'm sorry I keep bothering you, I just didn't know who else would get it, you know?"

"We should head over to the _Shera_," Vincent said, looking at everyone already heading up there.

"…Flying. Yay," Estu muttered, as they walked out the door. "Almost forgot about that part."

"It's actually a smoother ride than the last airship we had. Even Yuffie thinks so."

"It's not just the motion that really gets me though. It's the heights," Estu said, looking ahead at the massive airship. "It's an impressive craft though. Ace would-" he stopped suddenly, shaking his head. "Sorry, I'll just go ahead," he said, running towards the airship. Vincent watched, puzzled, wondering what Estu had meant.

* * *

><p>"<em>Ace, what's wrong?" <em>

"_The controls! I can't get- ARRG!" _

_Wind rushed past as the airplane plummeted towards the ground._

"_No… No, please!" Ace shouted, fear showing in his eyes. The man in black had never seen him afraid before. Was his life flashing before his eyes? His wasn't… not much to reflect on and remember fondly. Acting quickly he pulled his sword and cast a partial protection spell over his friend, less than a minute left before the plane hit the ground. "What? What are you doing, save yourself, not me!" No... Ace had a family, other friends… he'd rather keep him alive. "Don't save me, you idiot! Save yourself!"_

"_No time…" the man said. It would take too long to cast another. He swallowed bracing himself for the impact. "Goodbye… old friend." He was afraid, but it was mostly regret, so much unaccomplished, so much he could never make up for. Tine… I'm sorry… He looked at Ace, still panicked. _

"_No! NO! N-" Ace was cut off by the man's sudden scream as the plane hit the ground._

Estu shot up, heart pounding. _Damn aircraft… _He looked out a window at the night sky. They were probably over the ocean now. He could've been on a ship, letting the rocking motions lull him to sleep, but air travel was faster. He stood up. Estu would just walk enough to clear his head. He would need sleep for the next two days. Before exiting the room, he glanced at Marlene and Denzel, sleeping soundly.

He moved quietly, he'd always been pretty good at walking without making sound. There were more people up and about than expected, keeping the ship moving smoothly. They, for the most part, ignored him, but he felt weird about walking around them, so he moved to more secluded parts of the ship. He nearly turned a corner when he heard Kunsel's voice.

"But I heard… I heard about someone who used Angeal's old sword."

"That was Cloud Strife… Kunsel, I've already told you. Why don't you believe me?" Cissnei asked.

"Why trust a Turk?"

"Kunsel, you can trust _me_. I thought we were friends. What's happened that's made you like this?"

"Like what?" he asked.

"All… cold and distant with me… all secretive with everyone else. What made you this way?"

"…The last nine years."

"Please, just… talk to me about this," she said. "I can help you. Listen, I miss him just as much as you do, but-"

"Cissnei, I don't want to talk about this."

Estu backed away, wishing he hadn't heard.

"Kunsel…" she began again.

"I know he's dead, all right? I know."

"Then what were you still doing out there?"

"Just… trying to find closure, I guess…"

His voice trailed off as Estu walked back to his room.

_I didn't realize that they were friends_. He guessed he should have. Kunsel spoke more openly with Cissnei than anyone. She'd kept answering for him when he didn't want to. They'd obviously known each other before.

He laid down, trying to get a bit more sleep before morning.

* * *

><p>Argento was having a great week. Even then, sitting at his desk, doing next to nothing, he smiled. Two more days, then AVALACHE would either give in to his father's threat or he'd get a chance to have a bit of fun outside of Junon again. He leaned back, thinking of his last venture out of the city.<p>

Even after several long hours of searching in the freezing air, he couldn't have been happier when he'd found the shard. Even underneath his gloved hand, the way it felt sent tingles down his finger tips. He raised it up, examining it, looking at his orange eyes in its shiny surface.

He still held it triumphantly on the flight back to Junon. Between the excitement of presenting it to his father and the jabbing pain on his wrist, he couldn't sleep at all. Argento distractedly toyed with the bracer clamped around his arm. "Careful with that!" Zul would have said, could he see Argento. "I spent almost a whole week designing it for you." Yeah, and it itched like hell.

The arrival in Junon was met with little fanfare. Argento had mused that he might get the red carpet treatment as the returning hero, but then again, it was ridiculously early in the morning. He stumbled into Headquarters, half asleep. "Caffeine," he demanded. Zul sat in the lobby, already drinking his coffee.

"Did you get it, Argento?" he asked curiously.

Argento grinned, then pulled the shard from his pocket. Zul's eyes lit up at it.

Argento sat next to him, drinking the coffee one of his subordinates brought him as quickly as he could without scalding his tongue. "Everything went well… Easy as pie."

"I'm glad… first time you haven't screwed something up," Zul said.

"Shut up," Argento muttered. It was ridiculous, having to put up with the teens constant snide remarks. Of course, his father forbade him from killing Zul… too valuable, apparently.

"So how did the bracer work?" Zul asked, eyeing it.

"Decent… itches, though," Argento said, looking at the bracer again. It glowed slightly with the remains of the mako contained within. "But could you adjust the injection intervals?"

"Are they spaced too close together? I was trying to err on the side of caution but-"

"They're too far apart. Had to use my back up supply twice," Argento said.

"Really? I set them for one every eight hours."

"Make it one every six then," Argento said, taking the bracer off and rubbing the chafed skin underneath. "Or one ever four would be good, too."

"Every four? …Are you feeling all right? That's more than you usually need," Zul pointed out. "Maybe you should tell your father-"

"No thanks," Argento said, walking towards the elevator. He was trying to impress him after all, not remind him how much a failure he was. "I'll just show him this." He gestured to the shard proudly.

Weiss had been overjoyed at seeing the materia shard. He snatched it away, greedily. Argento tried to hide how happy he was, stating calmly, "Took hours to get it, but I think it was well worth it."

"Yes… excellent work, Argento." He said the words in the exact same way he'd sung Nero's praises for years. That, in and of itself, made the task worth everything. "You did well, son." Son… he couldn't even remember the last time that Weiss had uttered the word without shame. It wasn't love exactly, but it felt good… finally getting a bit of recognition after all those years of trying without success.

After the next day, Rosso had returned. Argento went to say hello to her, and was a bit shocked to see a long scar now marred her face. "What the hell happened to you?" he asked.

"Kisaragi… next time we meet, she dies," Rosso hissed. "So you're still alive, I'm surprised your father didn't kill you after you returned empty handed."

"Actually, I got the shard I was supposed to… and you?" he asked smugly.

"You what? But-"

He beat Rosso? He actually managed something _Rosso _couldn't?

Little moments like these continued to pile up. A successful squashing of a resistance group, several days without a riot of any sort. Most of the city resigned themselves to the fate of sitting helpless in his grasp. And things only got better when he learned the location of the man who knew where the third shard was.

"Research assistant… we've got people on it now," Zul told him. He glanced over to Shelke. "Nice work, by the way."

"Thank you, Mr. Azul," she said, giving a slight nod while stabilizing herself on a table. Diving tended to leave her a bit dizzy. "Commander Argento, will you go to retrieve the last shard?"

Weiss agreed when he asked him, noting that he'd been rather successful of late.

Yes, things were going well for Argento. For the first time in years he wasn't being constantly compared to his brother, constantly feeling inferior. Things were finally looking up.

But that wouldn't last very long.

"_Argento_?" the voice on his com device asked.

"Yes sir?" he replied.

_"I… need to speak to you. About the Proto-materia._"

And he wasn't at all prepared for what Weiss planned on doing with it.

* * *

><p>They had to go out of the way to avoid being seen from Junon. Approaching the city from behind was annoying, but Vincent was confident that Yuffie and Cissnei would be successful in their endeavor to cut off the city's mako supply.<p>

The second shard was almost within their grasp.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: This was a bit short, but I'm hoping the next chapter will make up for it. I'm really excited about this next one, to be honest. Unfortunately, I'm finding myself a bit busier than normal, so it'll probably take a few more days. I'll try to get it done by Friday, but if that's not possible, I'll get it done by Monday at the very latest. Sorry, and thanks for being patient. **


	37. Chapter 37

Yuffie's fingers twitched as she looked down from the catwalk of the mako storage facility. Two Deepground guards stood, holding their guns and watching over the large vat. She glanced behind her at the Turk closely following, gripping her own shuriken. Cissnei's eyes narrowed as she looked at the two guards. Yuffie turned to her and the pair nodded. Each held their weapon and threw it.

The two shurikens hit their target before returning to their owner. Yuffie waited for some sort of alarm to sound, but it seemed as though no one had seen. "This is almost too simple," Cissnei said quietly.

"They weren't expecting this," Yuffie said, nimbly leaping down from the catwalk and rolling into a crouch. She looked around for other guards, spotting two approaching from the hallway. She cast sleep over them before they could see her. One, realizing what had happened made an attempt to contact someone on his com device before failing and falling to the ground.

Cissnei dropped down, landing easily on her feet. "There's one of the vats. You take care of it while I check and see if one of these guards have anything useful on them."

_Who put you in charge?_ Yuffie rolled her eyes at the woman as she looked over the vat. It wasn't like the reactors she'd seen. It couldn't draw mako out of the earth, it simply held it. Deepground must have restarted a reactor somewhere to get it though.

"Watch your feet," Yuffie muttered, using her shuriken to cast demi over the vat. Its contents spilled over the floor, away from Yuffie so it wouldn't splash her. Cissnei glanced back and watched, impressed.

"You're good at magic," she noted.

Yuffie grinned proudly. "I'm an expert when it comes to materia," she said. Her eyes strayed to a piece of paper that Cissnei held. "What's that?"

"Map of the facility. There's two more of these," Cissnei said, looking over at the vat.

"Oh, great. You wanna actually take care of one this time? Or should I do that too?"

Cissnei frowned. "I could spill the next one. Come on, it's north of here." She walked away in silence. Yuffie frowned. This Turk was obviously all business. Much more serious than even Rude. And it was _seriously_ starting to grate on Yuffie's nerves.

She brushed past Cissnei, muttering, "I'll lead the way."

"I'm the one with the map," Cissnei pointed out.

"Who needs a map? I happen to have the instincts of a ninja." At that moment a large guard monster perked up. Yuffie froze right as she came face to face with it. She ducked down as it snapped at her with its large jaws. Preparing a fire spell, she rolled underneath its legs. She was about to release the spell when it fell, Cissnei's shuriken lodged in its skull.

The woman retrieved her weapon, glancing at Yuffie. "Instincts of a ninja, huh? I think we should trust my instincts for now… and my map." Yuffie glared at her, but allowed her to walk past as they made their way to the second reactor.

"I could've taken care of the monster," Yuffie said.

"I'm sure you could have."

"Are you being sarcastic?"

"No."

"… Stupid Turks," Yuffie said, looking ahead at the faint glow of mako.

They moved on, easily taking down the guard that watched over the vat. Yuffie tapped her foot impatiently as Cissnei tried to tip the vat over with a grappling hook roped around a rail to create a pulley. "This is taking too long," Yuffie muttered.

"You're welcome to jump in any time," Cissnei replied.

"You wanted to do this one."

"No, you asked me to and… do you have some sort of problem with me?" Cissnei asked.

"What makes you say that?" Yuffie asked, preparing another gravity spell. Cissnei just crossed her arms and stepped out of the way. Demi hit with full force and the mako splashed to the ground. "One more. What time is it?"

"Hm…" Cissnei looked at a wristwatch. "A bit past eleven…" Yuffie sighed. It had taken a lot of time to get to the center of the facility. But at least they'd be able to find the last vat before noon. Then all that was left would be cutting the flow off to Deepground HQ. "Next one's down this hall," Cissnei said, pointing. Yuffie nodded and followed her.

As they reached the last vat, Cissnei threw her arm out to stop Yuffie. "What are you-?"

"Quiet," Cissnei whipered, gesturing to an overly muscled soldier with stitching scars covering every inch of his body. Yuffie frowned, looking at the monster. "They improved the helmets… you can't get them off now."

"So how do we beat it?"

"We don't," Cissnei said. "The second you cast demi, it'll see us. And then we run and hide."

"I think that's a stupid plan," Yuffie said stubbornly.

"Well, if you'd like to think of something better, I'd be happy to try it," Cissnei replied. Yuffie ignored her, rolling her eyes and preparing a gravity spell. _Stupid, stupid Turks…_

The spell hit and the two women ran. From behind her, Yuffie could hear the behemoth's lumbering steps, growing louder by the second. Cissnei looked back. "Next hallway we split up. You go left, I go right."

"I wanna go right," Yuffie said.

"Does it even matter?" Cissnei asked, exasperated. "Fine, go right, I'll go left."

They split up, Yuffie running right and leaping onto a light fixture. She swung on it, leaping through the air and then jumping off a wall, landing just high enough to grab the rails of the catwalk and pull herself up. She grinned at her own acrobatic feat, then headed towards where Cissnei ran. Yuffie's eyes widened when she saw that Cissnei's route had led to a dead end, and she was now backed into a corner.

The Turk held her weapon tightly, staring the behemoth down. Yuffie threw her shuriken which rebounded off its helmet, but caught its attention. "Hey! Up here, ugly!" It took a few steps towards her and Yuffie tried throwing her shuriken at it again. "C'mon, come get me!" Yuffie yelled, running along the catwalk, leading the monster away from Cissnei.

Yuffie stumbled as a large fist brought part of the catwalk down. She gripped the railing and leapt down to where the behemoth stood. "All right, big guy… Let's see how well that helmet holds up."

It swung at her, an attack that Yuffie easily dodged. She reached into her pocket for an ice materia and placed it in one of the slots in her shuriken. Another swing from the Behemoth and Yuffie flipped backwards, then cast her most powerful ice spell. The monster staggered and tried to move, but its feet were frozen to the floor.

A large shuriken collided with its head as Cissnei joined the battle. Yuffie cast bolt, then threw her shuriken at it as well, staying out of the way of its flailing arms. After several minutes, the helmet finally cracked and Yuffie was able to deliver a finishing blow.

With the monster defeated, Cissnei glanced over at Yuffie. "Thanks," she said quietly.

"Don't mention it," Yuffie replied. Cissnei gave a slight smile and nodded. "Seriously, though, don't. I don't want people thinking I'd go out of my way to help some Turk… especially one who's all googly-eyed over Vinnie- er… I mean Vincent."

"Googly-eyed?" Cissnei asked. "I admire him, my mentor used to use stories about him as examples, but I'm not … infatuated by him, if that's what you're implying."

"Oh…" Yuffie walked ahead a few paces. "Well, in that case, you aren't too bad. For a Turk, at least."

"Thank you. You aren't too bad either…. For a kid."

"I'm not a kid! I happen to be twenty years old, thank you very much!" Yuffie said.

Cissnei held up her hands. "Calm down, I was joking. Let's go find whatever pipes all this mako up to the city, all right?" She quickly ran ahead, eager to finish the job. _Maybe I read her wrong_… Of course, Yuffie wouldn't admit that, at least not out loud. She would leave it at letting Cissnei know that she was an okay Turk in her book.

* * *

><p>It was early the next day when the groups plans were put into action. Cid, Reno, and Rude were going to be joined by Yuffie and Cissnei, who had been successful in cutting off the city's mako supply. Cid paced as Kunsel, Vincent, and Rude studied the map they had brought. "Sir, how long do you think it'll take before we can move in?" Kunsel asked. It took Cid a moment to realize he was speaking to him.<p>

"Can't say for sure. Y'all are gonna have to wait an' watch."

"Yeah, just give us time, Buckethead," Reno said.

Kunsel raised his hand up to his helmet. "Right, 'cause I've never heard that one before, Reno."

"Call 'em as I see 'em. Ready to go, partner?"

"Yeah…" Rude said, folding the map.

Cid looked over at Kunsel and Vincent. "You wait in place until most of the force goes to the ship yard. Soon as the coast is clear, go in and get it… got it?" Vincent gave a serious nod while Kunsel grinned and saluted Cid. Cid turned back to the Turks and Yuffie. "All right, let's get up to the shipyard."

They carefully journeyed to the shipyard, keeping out of sight of the guards that patrolled the streets. It took a while, but the five of them eventually made it up there. "All right," Reno said, holding a large smoke bomb.

"You guys are sure that won't blow us sky high?" Yuffie asked.

"Nah, it's just pretty, right partner?"

"Yeah."

"Then get your asses movin'" Cid said testily. Reno rolled his eyes, but ran out to the middle of a dock the second the coast was clear. He lit the fuse on the bomb and rolled it, sending a long stream of dense blue smoke through the shipyard. Rude set another, this one with bright green smoke. It wasn't long until they were completely obscured from view.

"The rest of us should go," Cissnei said. She handed Yuffie and Cid each a bag of small cherry bombs. Loud, but non-lethal, they would sound a lot more impressive than they looked. Yuffie ran into the smoke and quickly set a few off. A few guards gathered, looking for the source of the noise. Cid grinned and pulled a stick of dynamite out of his pocket. Just because everyone else was playing with little fireworks didn't mean he was opposed to using something stronger.

* * *

><p>A rush of Deepground troops moved out of the Headquarters, down to where Vincent knew the others to be. Hidden behind the building, ready for action, his group waited. Though he couldn't see them, he knew that groups led by Kunsel and Tifa were close by, watching the HQ building as closely as he did.<p>

As soon as troops stopped pouring out of the building, a gun shot rang through the air – the signal to move. Vincent ducked down slightly as he ran towards the building. It wouldn't do him much good to get shot in the head then, just plain inconvenient. He was within a few yards of the building when the doors burst open and a man with ginger hair and bright orange eyes stared right at him.

"…Shit," he gasped, turning and running back into the building. Vincent glanced behind him at the dozen or so people who stood, ready to back him up.

Estu ran towards the door. "Vincent, that was Argento!"

"Really…" Vincent smashed through the glass doors of the tower, running towards the sound of footsteps. Tifa, Kunsel, and a few of the Nibelheim troops followed. The lobby had filled with the remaining Deepground soldiers and Vincent could hear the beginnings of a fight between them.

He ran ahead of the others, down a flight of stairs into the basement. The room he had found himself in looked as though it had been made into a makeshift infirmary of sorts. It was dim in there, though Vincent could still see perfectly well. Cots, some soaked with blood, stood around haphazardly, and the scent of mako and formaldehyde saturated the air, making Vincent cringe. Argento stood on the far end of the room, looking though cabinets for something. He looked up at Vincent, his glowing eyes wide with panic.

"Stay back!" he yelled, still fumbling through the cabinet. "Dammit! Where is it all?" He threw an empty vial of mako to the ground. Vincent noticed the man's limbs were shaking, and he had to lean on a countertop for support.

"Mako withdrawal… you're in no condition to fight. Give the Proto-materia to me and I'll spare you," Vincent said.

"Shit! What the hell's going on? This wasn't supposed to happen!" Argento said. His eyes rolled up and he collapsed to the ground. Vincent blinked in surprise, stared for a moment, then took a step closer to him. He knelt down and began searching through Argento's pockets.

It happened in less than a second. Argento's eyes opened, Vincent felt a scalpel lodge in his throat. Wild eyed, somewhere between fury and excitement, Argento stabbed at him, again and again. Vincent's only reaction was to reach for his gun, but was only aware of a hot white heat between his eyes as the world faded away.

* * *

><p>The lobby was in chaos. Estu sincerely hoped Vincent was close to finding the Proto-materia as he hacked away at one of the doglike creatures that had been set loose. Near him, Ami wasn't faring too well. Her revolver had been depleted of ammo, and she was forced to switch to the semi-automatic that she kept with her. She ran back from one of the Stratus soldiers, who kept swinging at her with a large hammer.<p>

Estu ran towards the Stratus soldier, stabbing him through the gut as Ami turned and took a shot at one of the monsters fighting Jarim. "There's too many of these, still!" he said, reloading his shotgun.

"I know," Am said. She looked around the lobby, trying to find another opponent when the elevator briefly opened. "…Is that Weiss?"

Estu turned, spotting the white haired doctor before the doors shut again. "I'm going after him," he decided, running across the room.

"Estu, wait!" Ami tried following, but was cut off by a reptilian beast that she and Jarim shot at. Estu pushed the button for the elevator what felt like a million times before having to defend himself from an axe wielding foe. He blocked the attacks, then dashed into the elevator as it opened. "Estu!" he heard his sister yell again.

He ignored her, pressing the button for the top floor and blocking another strike from the axe. Inside the elevator, two swipes of his sword was all it took to bring the foe down. Estu gripped a rail as the elevator rose to the top. _Please be there_… Estu sheathed his sword and stared at the doors in front of him.

With a slight ding, they opened up, showing the room of computers he'd gone through to get to the roof top the last time he'd been in Junon. Weiss stood behind his desk, looking down at something on it. He glanced up at Estu, glasses briefly flashing from the overhead light. Estu took a breath, ignoring the feeling that Weiss could see right through him, and held the gaze for what felt like minutes.

"You followed me up here," Weiss stated. Estu silently stared at him, watching for any sudden movements. "Well… is there something you want?"

"The Proto-materia… do you have it?"

"I'm afraid not," Weiss said, standing up straight. He paced a bit, all the while keeping his eyes on Estu. "You know, I had a feeling we'd meet again of your own accord."

"And why's that?" Estu asked, ready to slit his throat the second he tried anything.

"You don't give up or let things go… you've made that rather obvious, son."

"Yeah well… did you just call me 'son?'" Estu asked. Weiss shrugged. Estu shook his head, infuriated, "No. Do_ not_ call me that. Just because you had a hand in my creation… You have no right to call me son!"

"Number Four, then…"

"No, I'm not a damn number. I'm a person. I'm a _person_, dammit!"

Weiss sighed, for a moment looking like a disappointed school teacher. "Why do you cling so desperately to that notion? You can see how shaky that claim is, can't you? After all, one created for the sole purpose of replacing another… one who was a failure of a replacement, for that matter-"

"Shut up," Estu spat.

"And you go back to arguments my idiot of a son would use… Why do you claim to be something you're not? When you yourself know how horribly wrong you are? Surely you feel-"

"I said shut up!" Estu drew his sword slowly, letting the sound of steel ring through the air.

"Are you honestly going to kill me?" Weiss asked, a taunting look in his eyes.

"I kill you now… this nightmare ends," Estu said.

"How would your troubles end, when you never know the truth?"

"…Truth? About what?"

"Who you are, of course."

Estu laughed at him, catching Weiss off guard. "Yeah, you're too late for that. I know exactly who I am."

"Oh do you? Surely you feel broken?" Weiss said, giving Estu a knowing look. "Don't you experience something? A fractured psyche? Identity issues? Do you… feel as though you're someone else? Do you look in a mirror and not recognize yourself?" Estu froze at the last statement, remembering how he'd avoided mirrors when he was younger. How sometimes his own reflection still gave him the creeps… like it was another person, watching him.

Weiss noticed his sudden unease, smiling slightly. "Do you… remember, at all? Perhaps a skill you can't explain having? A memory you mistook as a dream?" As he spoke, Weiss moved back, towards an open window.

"What do you know?" Estu asked. Weiss said nothing, coldly staring him down. "Tell me what you know, now!"

"I'm honestly surprised you haven't figured it out… at least when you were younger, our data suggested you possessed exceptional intelligence. Though the effects of the LFT unit may have taken a toll your intellect, at least to a degree…"

"Stop screwing around and tell me," Estu demanded, taking a step closer to the man. "Tell me! Ple-" No… he wouldn't beg. He wouldn't give Weiss that satisfaction. Estu took a breath, raising his sword. "Tell me now, or I'll-"

"You'll what? Kill me?" Weiss asked. "You'll know…Perhaps someday soon …" With that, Weiss leaned out the window and fell. Estu ran towards the window, staring down the dizzying heights. Wind blew him back as a helicopter rose, Weiss safely within. Estu watched helplessly as he flew away.

* * *

><p><em>Vincent?<em>

_Aerith… help… help me up… please._

He felt her soft touch on his cheek, brushing past where a stab wound would have been. He opened his eyes, taking in the world of flowers, the bright sun and sky, Aerith's wide beautiful green eyes… She looked down at him, concerned. Vincent tried to stand, but he felt too weak. "I need to catch up to him… can you help me?" he asked, voice barely a whisper.

Aerith smiled a bit, extending her left hand. Vincent raised his own… a human hand, no gauntlet covering it up. She grasped it and pulled, gently but strongly, helping Vincent to his feet.

"Good luck…"

"Thank you," he whispered, looking around the basement. It was a moment before the searing pain hit him. He'd been stabbed all over his body, and felt each wound burn as he stood up. His blood had pooled around him, and a trail of dark red foot prints led away from where Argento had tried to kill him.

Vincent followed the footprints, back to a hallway, down to another room at the end. He heard the sounds of breaking glass within the room and opened it, finding himself face to face with Argento again. He stopped throwing glassware around and nearly dropped the vial of Mako he held as he stared at Vincent.

"No… I… I killed you. You were dead!" he said, backing up. "You were _dead_!"

"Yes, I was… may I have the shard now?" He held his gun aloft, pointing it at Argento's head. Argento ducked down, trying to grab the gun from Vincent's grasp. It was a feeble attempt, and Vincent easily gripped his arm and flipped him, sending the man to the ground with a thud. A crystalline shard fell out of his pocket as he tried to stand back up, wind knocked out of him. Vincent knelt down and pocketed the shard before stepping towards the door.

Argento reached for him, still on the ground, a bit of blood trickling from his mouth. "G- Give it back… give it back, you bastard." Vincent supposed he could have shot him, but honestly didn't think it would be worth the bullet. Argento struggled to sit up, looking utterly pathetic. "Give it back!" Vincent ignored him, slamming the door shut as he walked out.

Vincent headed back to the upper floor, signaling to Kunsel that he had the shard. "Fall out!" Kunsel shouted, leading the Nibelheim troops in a retreat. Vincent kept pace with him as they ran towards the shipyard. "Cid's got a plan to get us out, right?"

"Yes… We'll need to get over to him. Did we suffer any losses?"

Kunsel frowned. "One of ours… they got the better of one of my swordsmen. But we'll have to mourn him later." Vincent nodded, leading them onward.

As they turned around a corner and came within sight of the shipyard Vincent froze at the sight of a large ship with Cid waving from the deck. "…Well," he muttered. "Come on, we need to catch up."

Tifa looked over, finding a smaller speed boat and hopping in. "C'mon, let's go!" she shouted, pulling wires out of the controls. "Uh… can anyone…?"

"I've got this," Ami said, running forward. She manipulated the wires, connecting two and the boat came to life.

"How. How do you know how to do that?" Estu asked.

"Long story, tell you later," Ami said, speeding the boat forward. As they sped towards the ship, two Deepground jet skis came dangerously close to them. Vincent pulled his gun out and fired twice, hitting both of them in quick succession. He looked at the ship Cid stole, seeing several Deepground troops flung off the side. Ami pulled up to the side of the ship, matching its speed. "How do we get up there?"

Vincent looked up, frowning. A long rope fell down, landing on the deck near him. "Guess we're climbing," he said, passing the rope to Kunsel. "Climb up first, then help everyone else."

"Got it," the Lieutenant said, climbing up the rope. One by one every one climbed up onto the ship. Vincent kept an eye out for more Deepground soldiers, trying to attack, shooting at them when they came too close. When only he and Ami were left, he grabbed the steering wheel, motioning for her to climb. She pulled herself up, leaving Vincent alone.

Vincent steered away from the ship then ran towards the rope, jumping and catching it before pulling himself up to the ship's deck. On board, Cid and Tifa were taking care of one of the last soldiers who had gotten on board. Vincent leaned on the railing as he watched.

Cid glanced over, grinning. "Got another ship."

"I see that. Are we cruising back to the central continent?"

"Hell no. Watch and be amazed." He pulled a walkie-talkie from his pocket. "Denzel, give the go ahead."

"Yes sir!"

Estu walked over, curious. "Go ahead for wha-" he stopped short as the entire ship rose out of the sea into the air. Wings and propellers jutted out from the sides, providing lift as it rose up. "Holy… This…"

"Ain't she a beaut?" Cid asked.

"One chance to ride a boat… nope, it's an airship too…" Estu muttered, walking unsteadily towards a flagpole and latching onto it.

"So you got it?" Cid asked.

Vincent nodded, holding the shard out. Cid took it, looking it over. "Nice. Hey Yuffie!" He looked behind him to see Yuffie leaned over the railing. "Oh… she's #$%^ing sick again."

"I'll bring it to her," Vincent said, taking the shard.

Yuffie shook her head as she heard his approaching footsteps. "Don't talk to me right now, I'm going to… bleh…" she muttered.

"Sure you don't want to see this?" Vincent asked, holding out the shard.

"Vinnie!" she said, turning towards him. "You got it!" She excitedly took the shard she had out of the pouch on her belt. Two thirds of the Proto-materia… right there. Vincent held his towards hers, letting the shards fuse together. "Wow… cool! Just one more and we'll have it all."

"Yes… just one more," Vincent said, looking to the west. Yuffie put the incomplete orb back into the pouch. She nudged Vincent in the ribs, knowing his thoughts had strayed towards Lucrecia, trying to keep his mind off the difficult task in front of him. "Don't…" he started, but instead smiled wryly and nudged her back.

"Hey, watch it," she said.

"You started it."

"Really? That's what you say? And people call me the kid," Yuffie said.

"Wonder why…"

"Jerk."

"Sorry," he said, walking towards the inside of the ship.

"Hey wait! It's a freaking term of endearment, you…"

"Jerk?" he asked.

"Yeah," Yuffie said, following him inside.

* * *

><p>"This is officially the coolest thing ever," Denzel decided, looking out at the sky around them. "Hey Estu, you going to stop holding on to that pole?"<p>

"Can't move…" Estu said. "I'll fall off."

"Don't be silly," Marlene said, crouching down near him.

"I'm not being silly."

"You're hugging a flagpole," Denzel laughed.

"Yeah, well this flagpole is going to be my new best friend, so there."

Denzel glanced over at Marlene. "Guess you got demoted."

"Darn."

They both seemed a lot more at ease with each than they had in a long time. Estu guessed that the success that day was helping, lifting their spirits. Marlene walked over to the rails looking out at the ocean. "Careful," Denzel said, watching her.

"I am," Marlene said, smiling. She paused suddenly, frowning. "Do you guys hear that?"

"Hear what?" Denzel asked, leaning against his staff. Estu cocked his head to the side, listening. A faint scratching sound came from the side of the ship where Marlene stood. His heart nearly lept out of his chest when a gloved hand grabbed the rail near her.

"Marlene, get away from there!"

"What?" she looked over at the Stratus soldier pulling himself up and ran back a few paces. Estu shakily stood, but a sudden gust of wind had him holding onto the pole again. Denzel twirled his staff, staring the soldier down.

He scanned the area, holding his large sword aloft. Same one as before, Estu realized, staring at the featureless helmet. "Denzel," Marlene said quietly, standing behind him. Denzel glared at the man, running forward and striking with his staff. He was hit with the flat side of the sword, sending him flying and landing loudly on the deck.

"No, Denzel!" Marlene said, rolling up a sleeve and casting a fire spell towards the soldier. It hit him squarely in the chest, but barely did a thing, despite Marlene's above average power. He shrugged it off and lifted his sword, walking towards the girl.

"Don't you _dare_ hurt her!" Estu and Denzel both shouted, running towards the man. They both attacked at the same time, but the soldier managed to block with both his sword and a bit of armor on his forearm. Estu swung again, letting him parry, trying to find an opening in his defense. Denzel fought as well, striking weaker blows with his staff.

Estu swung at the Stratus soldier's face, making a slight crack in his helmet. He staggered back, then looked between Denzel and Estu, deciding that Estu was the larger threat, to be dealt with first. When Estu swung again, the stratus solder twisted the wakizashi out of his grip, sending it flying across the deck. Estu began to run towards it, but the soldier grabbed him before he could even move.

Estu felt a splitting pain in his head as the whispers started up. This time, a single word was clear. _RE…UN…ION…_

The pain only stopped after the Stratus soldier threw him right over the rail. He screamed as he fell down, looking at the distant sea beneath him.

He couldn't think, couldn't breathe, only flailing wildly as he plummeted down.

"Estu!" someone shouted. He could barely hear them through the wind whistling past his ears.

_Not like this! _ He felt his body, almost working of its own accord, leaning towards the ship, hands grabbing at windows. His fist closed around a chain, the rings burning his palm as he slid down, rust scrapping his skin. After an agonizingly long time, he came to a stop, though he still dangled over the seemingly endless drop.

Above him, Denzel and Marlene battled with the Stratus soldier. Tears running down Marlene's face, she struck with a powerful ice spell. It froze around the helmet, deepening the crack. Denzel struck the soldier on the head, causing him to slump down on the floor of the deck.

"…Denzel," Marlene whispered.

"It's okay," he said, hugging her. "It's okay, he can't hurt you."

"Estu…"

"I'm sorry," he whispered, holding her closely.

"HELP!"

They both jumped, running to the rails of the deck. Staring at Estu, clinging for his life onto the anchor.

"HELP ME!"

"Estu, you're alive!" Marlene said. "Oh no! Denzel, help me pull him up!" Denzel ran over to the anchor, working the mechanism to pull it up. "Hang on, Estu!"

_Like I have a choice_. Estu shut his eyes and held onto the anchor as it rose up to the deck. When the anchor was raised, Marlene and Denzel helped him onto the ship. He took a few steps before his legs buckled beneath him. "Estu?" Marlene asked, sitting beside him.

"I hate heights. I hate airships. I really hate falling," Estu said shakily, closing his eyes. "I don't want to be up in the air anymore. Can we please land?"

"He'll be okay," Denzel said. He glanced over at the Stratus soldier behind him. "…He's still alive too though."

"I'll take care of that," Estu said darkly, getting back on his feet. He walked across the deck, still shaking, and grabbed his sword.

"What are you going to-" Marlene ran towards him. "Estu wait!"

"Just don't look," Estu said, holding his sword over the man. Marlene shook her head, then glanced down at the man beneath them, eyes widening.

"No, don't!" she yelled, stepping in front of him. Estu stopped short, staring at her.

"What are you doing?" Denzel asked.

Marlene looked over at him, biting her lip. "Denzel, _look_," she said, pointing at the helmet, or rather the tiny piece of the helmet that broke away, displaying part of a face. Denzel looked at her in confusion. "_Look!_ Help me get the helmet off!" she said, trying to pull it away from his face.

"Marlene, you're being so-" Denzel stopped, staring at the man. "No way…"

He shoved Estu aside, helping Marlene with the helmet. As they removed it, Estu looked at the spiky blonde hair that had been compressed underneath.

"Cloud," Denzel said in disbelief. He broke down, crying into the unconscious man's shoulder. "I can't believe it… Cloud."


	38. Chapter 38

They stood around the unconscious man for what seemed like forever, Denzel and Marlene not speaking, not questioning what had happened, but Estu couldn't have been more confused. This was really Cloud Strife? He was the one who'd tried to take both his and Vincent's lives on days before? And how was that even possible? He was under the impression that Cloud was dead.

Denzel finally managed to pull himself together, wiping his eyes. "Shut up," he muttered, glancing at Estu.

"I didn't say anything." Estu didn't blame Denzel at all for getting worked up about seeing Cloud again.

"…Can you help me get him inside?" Denzel asked, looking over at Cloud.

Estu hesitated, already feeling a slight pull from where he stood, over two yards away. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why?"

"Maybe we shouldn't move him… he looks hurt." The excuse seemed to work. Denzel glanced back, frowning.

"I don't wanna leave him… can you get someone?"

"Yeah," Estu said. He was glad he'd be able to get away from the man. Estu quickly walked away, feeling his head grow clearer. The strange force of the Jenova cells was rather distracting, and Estu felt the affects more strongly around Cloud than he had anywhere else.

As he entered the ship, he realized he had no idea where everyone else would be. This seemed like the sort of situation that should've been brought to Cid's or Tifa's attention though. He glanced at a passing crew member. "Er… hey!"

"Yeah?"

"Um… do you know where Mr. Highwind or Ms. …" Why was it that he couldn't remember Tifa's last name? "Where Cid or Tifa are?" he corrected.

"Everyone's in Weiss's quarters, down this hall and to the left."

"…Weiss's quarters?" Estu asked.

"Used to be his ship… now can you move on, kid? I'm busy."

Estu walked away, looking for the room in question. He glanced to his left, spotting what looked like the right room and knocked. Kunsel opened the door, giving Estu an odd frown. "We're a little busy in here… can it wait?"

"Um… no. Not really. I need to talk to Cid."

Cid looked up from the far side of the room. "Somthin' wrong?"

"Well…" How was he supposed to explain what had happened? "This… guy attacked us and Denzel said he's Cloud."

For a moment, everyone in the room turned to him, silent, as Estu's words sunk in.

"He's… he's up on the deck, unconscious and-"

"Wait a minute… _What?_" Cid asked.

"…Well, he climbed up on the ship. Must have gotten on before we started flying and…" Estu shuffled his feet, feeling awkward. "Can someone just come look?"

Tifa started towards the door without another word, apparently over the momentary shock. She was followed, a bit more slowly by Cid, the Turks, and Kunsel. The Lieutenant turned to Estu before he left. "You're serious, huh?" Estu said nothing, but Kunsel seemed to realize he wouldn't make something like this up. "Go find Vincent and Yuffie. They'll want to see him."

"Okay," Estu said, walking out of the room. _ Great… where are they?_ He wandered around listening for them. After a few minutes he heard Yuffie complaining about motionsickness and headed into a small room nearby.

"Beanie-Boy?"

"Don't call me… nevermind. Um… Cid needs you both on the deck. Now," he said. It wasn't technically a lie, and would probably create a less insane response than the truth, at least from Yuffie. She walked out quickly, but Vincent paused.

"…What happened?"

Estu sighed. Vincent never seemed to miss a thing. "Cloud."

"…Cloud… so he's…?"

"On the deck."

Vincent's eyes widened, and for a moment he seemed at a loss for words. "How? No… it doesn't matter. Excuse me," Vincent said, running out of the ship.

* * *

><p>The idea seemed insane. The thought that after all they'd been through, Cloud finding his way back to them… But surely enough, he was on the deck of the ship, slumped on the floor. Denzel and Marlene clung to him, as though they were afraid he'd disappear again if they left. Tifa held onto his hand, looking shocked that he was there.<p>

No one seemed entirely sure what to do. Which wasn't surprising, it had been months after all.

"He's hurt," Cissnei pointed out, breaking the stunned silence. Vincent couldn't help but think how much of a Turk she was. More so than Reno, at the very least.

Kunsel seemed to agree with her. "We'll need to get him inside… he's in pretty rough shape." Tifa nodded, pulling an arm over her shoulder. Cid stepped into help without thinking, and the two carried Cloud inside. They stepped into the first unoccupied room, setting him down on a bed.

"Cloud… how'd you even get here?" Tifa asked.

"How's he alive?" Cid added.

"…How the hell is his hair still spiky?" Reno wondered. No one else seemed to think it was a good question at the time.

After a while, Cid looked at everyone, clearing his throat. "Quit gawkin'. We need to get him patched up. For now, get back to whatever you were doin'. We get to the Central Continent in about an hour… then we head to Crystal Cave an' meet back up with the _Shera_ crew later … Just… give some breathin' room."

Most of the people filed out, but Vincent, Cid, Yuffie, and Tifa remained. Tifa raised a hand to Cloud's forehead. "Burning up…" Cid leaned out of the door, demanding an ice pack. Vincent noticed Tifa smile, brushing Cloud's hair back. "I'm sorry… I gave up on you for a while there. I missed you… so much…" she whispered.

"His breathin's okay, right?" Cid asked, tossing the ice pack to Tifa.

"I think…" Tifa said, watching Yuffie cast cure over him. "Cid… he's alive."

"Yeah… shoulda figured," Cid said. "Stupid Cloud… stubborn."

Vincent stepped out of the room, looking down at Marlene and Denzel, trying to listen in. "Go on in, you two… just don't get in the way."

"We… we won't," Marlene promised, stepping inside.

Vincent walked away, feeling overwhelmed with what had happened. And in only a few short hours… he'd be back at the Crystal Cave_. Meeting with another… walking the line between life and death…_

_I've done a lot. I'm working towards redemption._ He had to keep reminding himself of that fact. _But I couldn't help…_

"So what's going on?"

Vincent looked down at Estu, leaning on the wall of the hallway, arms crossed.

"He's… he's really Cloud? That's him?" he asked.

"Yeah," Vincent replied.

"…He had one of those Stratus helmets. Marlene and Denzel tell you that?"

"No… makes sense though," Vincent said, taking a few more steps down the hall.

"He has Jenova cells… but it's different from the others… felt more like… I don't know," Estu muttered, walking with Vincent. "It's worse around him. I can tell he's not quite the same as Kunsel. Why is that?"

"He… Hm… Well, he was going to be a Sephiroth copy."

"…A copy?"

"Not like you. Like the ones I told you about in Cosmo Canyon."

"Oh," Estu said. "I see…" They walked together in silence for a moment, Estu looking lost. "So now what?"

"We… keep going as planned. Find the last shard, take on what's left of Deepground's army."

"But… what's this stuff about a diamond mine?"

"…What?" Vincent asked. "The Crystal Cave, you mean?"

"Yeah. What's in there? Is that where the last shard is?"

Vincent sighed. "I'm going in alone. Don't worry about it." Estu looked up curiously. Vincent frowned as he met his eyes… In the shadows, they looked so much like hers. "…If you really must… give me about an hour alone when we get there. After that…" He shrugged, looking straight ahead. "Well, if you really must… I'll introduce you to someone." Estu nodded, though he looked confused.

* * *

><p>It was a tricky, landing the large ship in the craggy mountainous land, but Cid and his crew managed. Vincent set off alone, climbing up to a peak and disappearing into a cavern within. <em>What's in there?<em> But then, Estu supposed he'd just have to wait to find out. Something else was bothering him, anyway.

"Kunsel?" he asked, approaching the helmeted man.

"Hey kid, something up?"

"Er… someone on here said that this was Weiss's ship. That right?"

"Yeah, why?" Kunsel asked.

"Well… Can you keep a secret?"

"Not at all," Kunsel admitted.

"…Oh… well, thank you for being upfront about it," Estu said, frowning.

"…So there's something with you and Weiss though?"

"Yes… no… never mind, forget I said anything."

"If you want to do some digging on him, no one's in his quarters now… all gathered around Cloud. You know, if you needed privacy…"

Estu smiled appreciatively. "Thanks."

"No problem," Kunsel replied. "Also… have you seen Cissnei anywhere?"

"The Turk woman? No. Sorry."

"Hm… that's a shame…" Kunsel muttered, walking away.

Estu walked towards Weiss's quarters, peaking in to make sure they were vacant, and closed and locked the door behind him. A large important looking desk stood in the center of the cabin, the bed pushed away, to the side. It was a much larger room than any Estu had seen for sleeping, and seemed to double as an office as well, with the imposing desk and drawers. Estu looked around, pulling sheets of paper with long streams of DNA code or numerical values he couldn't understand.

He paused as he looked over a memo labeled 'Project S-2.' It detailed the termination of the project, though it seemed some of the subjects were unaccounted for. Most were confirmed deceased, but under Numbers One and Two a note that the scientists overseeing the projects were unreliable was scrawled in the margin. Only Number Four was different… Missing, presumed deceased. In harsh red ink, someone had written the word 'LIES.'

Estu felt a shiver go down his spine as he put the paper away, looking for more information. A name caught his attention, though he at first didn't believe what he saw. 'Takashi Matsumoto – killed in action.' That wasn't right… that wasn't right at all. The date… it was nearly three years before Estu's dad had died. Oddly enough, the same red ink had written 'deserter' and 'Number Four' across the photograph of his dad's face that accompanied the report.

_He found me in Midgar… found me… or…_

He turned to the second page of the report, briefly skimming over the details of his last job, guarding some of Dr. Weiss's test subjects. Estu paused, looking at the new word scribbled repeatedly in the margins – 'Thief.'

Thief… he'd been taken, not found. And Weiss… all he could call Estu's dad was thief. As though Estu was an object he'd stolen.

_Thief_… the word, when Weiss said it, had carried a lot of weight. Was this why? Takashi hadn't just found him, he'd saved him from certain death. He'd risked not only his career, but his life in doing so. And he'd been labeled 'killed in action' because of it. Shinra tried to erase his very existence…

_He… saved my life._ Then, more than any other time, Estu wished he could go back, just once, knowing what he did… just to thank his dad.

He stood up. This was something he needed to tell Ami. Suddenly, their years of constantly moving made sense. They were running… hiding. What he did… it wasn't out of favoritism at all, taking Estu into account for everything. Takashi had known that Estu was stolen property, and if they were caught with him, he and Ami would both be in danger.

Estu paused, reflecting the sacrifice his father had performed. Just so he could have a chance at life…

What a chance he'd wasted.

What had he really done? He wasn't even capable of that level of selflessness. Everything he'd ever done had been for his benefit, in one way or another. Estu bit his lip as he continued to walk towards Ami's cabin. He took a long breath before opening the door. "Ami, I need to…" he trailed off, looking awkwardly at his sister, and the dark skinned young man she was kissing.

Ami jumped up, face flushed. "What are you doing? Don't you knock?"

"I… er… ahem…sorry?"

The young man… Justin, Estu thought, quickly shuffled out of the cabin, looking embarrassed. Ami turned and glared at Estu.

"Gee, thanks a lot for that," she muttered, twirling a strand of her hair.

"I… I didn't know you'd… I said sorry!"

Ami crossed her arms, looking annoyed. "…I was going to tell you… we've been hanging out a lot lately, me and Justin… we think we're going to give an actual relationship a go when this is over," Ami said.

"…What about that Raye guy?"

"He… er…broke up with me."

Estu nodded, deciding not to press the issue. "Here," he said, handing her the paper, "thought you should see this." Ami took the paper, raising an eyebrow. "Just read it."

"Dad… wasn't killed in action," she said, looking at the paper.

"They must have said it as a cover up. After he stole something from Weiss."

"What'd he steal?"

"Me."

Ami paused, looking up from the paper. "You… he stole you… oh. That's… that's why…" she pieced things together nearly as quickly as Estu had. "That's why we left Midgar, and he hid you and…"

"It was just to protect me, but you too. That's why he never told either of us."

"So… he _was_ protecting both of us… wasn't he?" Amid said, sitting and taking an old photograph of her suitcase. Estu noticed a crumpled note in the suitcase as well, taking it out and examining it before sitting next to her.

"You… kept this?" he asked, frowning.

"Well… I thought it was goodbye," Ami said, looking at the note.

"_Ami. I'm looking for Weiss. Don't try to stop me. Don't bother responding, I won't get it. I'm sorry you couldn't understand. Estu."_

Twenty- three little words… each one felt like a stab to his heart. It had been the last thing he'd said to Ami for nearly a year. The letter he sent before beginning his search for the truth. But each word had been so empty, so insincere. "I'm sorry…" Estu said quietly.

"That's what you said," Ami replied.

"But I didn't mean it, back then…"

"I know. But you mean it now," Ami said, putting a hand on his shoulder. Estu resisted the urge to shrug it off, instead nodding slightly. "And I shouldn't have gotten mad at you… what happened… it wasn't your fault. He was still trying to protect you… protect us… and I never lived up to what he asked of me."

"I'd still say I'm the bigger failure, though, right?" Estu asked. "Maybe… I'll try harder…but I think you've done a lot for me already. I think he'd be proud if he could see you now."

"That's probably the sweetest thing you've ever said," Ami laughed. "And you aren't a failure… you just got a little lost."

"A little lost… guess so," Estu said, standing up. "But even when you're lost… you find your way back eventually, right? Everything does." He looked out the window at the entrance to the cave. "Apparently… Vincent gave me permission to go in there after an hour. I think he almost wants me to."

"Did he say he wanted you to?"

"No, but… well, that's Vincent for you," Estu said, approaching the door. "I guess I should start climbing."

"Don't fall."

"Uck… don't remind me," Estu said, exiting the room and heading out of the airship.

* * *

><p>Inside the Crystal Cave, the soft glow of mako and the pour of the waterfall created an almost zen-like peace. Light reflected off the crystals, casting prisms along the smooth walls, giving the cave an almost alien beauty. But it was the woman at the center of the cave that Vincent was looking at.<p>

"Lucrecia," he said softly.

There was no response from her. Lucrecia's eyes were closed, her hands clasped as though in prayer. The only sound for a long time was the splash of water and the echo of Vincent's voice.

"Lucrecia… I'm sorry… I need your help." _Even though I couldn't help you._

_Vincent?_ It was a though in his mind, not his own, but emanating from the woman in the crystal.

"I'm here," he whispered. "I need you… to tell me about the Proto-materia shard you had."

_The Proto-materia_… A flash of images, a crystal flashing green under Lucrecia's palm, the orb sitting at the top of stairs, Chaos's arms, grabbing at the expedition crew… Lucrecia looking into Grimoire's crimson eyes as he saved her… they all passed through Vincent's head in the blink of an eye.

"We have two of the shards… all that's left is yours… I know I'm asking a lot… but…" he paused, watching a teardrop roll down her cheek. "I'm so sorry."

_No… no… Vincent… the shard… Fate's Crossing… but… Chaos… I'm sorry about Chaos._

"What Hojo did to me wasn't your fault," Vincent said.

_No… it wasn't him. I gave you Chaos._

"…What?" Vincent asked. He felt his left arm shake as he took a step closer. "What do you mean?"

_I'm sorry… I had to… to save you… I'm sorry._

Vincent's brows knitted together. He opened his mouth to speak, but no sound escaped. _She did what?_ Finally, he found his voice again,"But… what does that mean… I…"

**Isn't it obvious? She wanted to prolong your suffering.**

_No… that's not true_. Vincent looked up at her… beautiful Lucrecia Crescent… she wouldn't…

**She left you for Hojo, didn't she?**

_Yes, but…_ Vincent shook his head, blocking Chaos out. "Please… if you know where it is…"

_I'm so… I'm so sorry…_ The same words echoed over and over. Vincent knelt down as he listened to them. Why… why did she apologize? At least he was alive, but she… He wronged her for more than she wronged him. But what Chaos said… no, he was lying. She had a reason… she had to have…

The echo finally died down, after what seemed like days to Vincent. He looked up at her. "Lucrecia?" he asked. She remained silent. "Lucrecia…" he tried again. "Lucre-" his voice broke, as he struggled to control his emotions. "Please… Lucrecia…"

"I'm so sorry…"

It was an echo… they echoed each other, and each one felt so much pain. Three simple words couldn't describe the regret, the sadness, the grief…

"Lucrecia…" he whispered again, feeling tears rolling down his face. When was the last time he'd cried? Barret's funeral? Vincent took a breath, trying to regain his composure. "Lucrecia…"

He was silent for a while as he listened to footsteps echoing throughout the cave. Vincent pulled the collar of his jacket up, trying to hide as much of himself as he could before turning to face Estu.

"It's been an hour already?"

"And a half… I was a little busy…" Estu looked up at Lucrecia in wonder. "So… who is she?"

"…Lucrecia Crescent."

"His… mother?" he asked.

"Yes."

_Sephiroth? _ Estu cringed at the name, looking around in confusion. _Sephiroth… my son… is that? I thought you were dead…_

"Is… she _talking_ to me?"

"Yes… perhaps this was a bad idea…" Vincent said, looking from Estu to Lucrecia.

_Sephiroth… can you forgive me? For what I've done? If you want to blame me I… I understand. I'm sorry. _

Estu looked up at the woman, deep in thought before finally speaking. "I never blamed you… mother. Never," he said.

_Thank you… I love you…_

"I… love you, too?" he said uncertainly. "Don't blame yourself. I'm fine, see? Vincent's taken good care of me. You're… you're forgiven."

_Thank you…_ The voice faded away again. She seemed… almost happier… more relaxed. Vincent motioned towards the exit of the cave, leading Estu away in silence.

"That was kind of you."

"I… didn't really know what to say. I lied, though… I'm not her son. Just his shadow," Estu replied, looking out at the starry night sky.

"You aren't just his shadow… and in a way, you are her son," Vincent said.

"Hmmph… maybe," he admitted, glancing back. "It's weird though…I've never had a mother…" Estu said quietly. "Never had one… closest thing, I guess, would be Ami. But… Lucrecia… she does look like me, doesn't she?"

"Her eyes are even the same color."

"Hm… I'm sorry if I screwed anything up. Did you find out where the shard is?"

"…Maybe. Fate's Crossing…"

"Never heard of it," Estu said.

"I'll have to look at a map. And I suppose I'll try to talk to her again tonight," Vincent said, looking back at the cave.

"So… you were in love with her?"

"Yes. I… still am."

"Vincent… was it really you who was…?" Estu trailed off, looking away. "Never mind. It doesn't really matter now, either way. Are you coming back down?"

"In a while…" Vincent said.

"Okay… I'll see you later." Vincent nodded as the boy climbed back to the airship.

* * *

><p>"What the hell are ya doin'?" Estu jumped at the sound of Cid's voice, closing the drawers on Weiss's cabinets.<p>

"Sorry… I'll just go," Estu said, trying to escape the room.

"Wait a minute," Cid said, blocking the doorway. "What were ya doin' diggin' around in there?"

"Just looking through old documents, trying to see if they could help us," Estu said, moving in front of one of the papers labeled S-2. Cid seemed to notice it, stepping over.

"I don't see what this S dash 2 has to do with anythin'," he muttered. Estu thanked the Lifestream for pronounced hyphens. "Leave the digging around to us," Cid continued, picking up a folder. He pulled what looked like a photograph out, examining it. "Huh… didn't figure Weiss for the sentimental type… anyway, you go on."

Estu nodded, quickly exiting the room. So much for his investigation. He hadn't managed to find much anyway, and it was getting pretty late. He decided to go to sleep for the night. He fell into an empty bed and closed his eyes.

"_So this is what it's come to?" the man in black asked._

_The father ignored him, pushing his graying hair away from his face and looking back into a microscope._

"_Would you please answer me?" he asked, glaring at his father._

"_I have nothing to answer for, son."_

"_You, no, WE spent so much time competing with him, and now this?"_

"_Project S-2 is looking more promising by the day. You have to understand, I can't replicate our success with you, but this…" The father paused, looking away from his son. "Deepground has suffered enough failure."_

_Deepground… no... that… that wasn't right… was it?_

"_Rosso turned out just fine, didn't she? And what about that little girl, Shelke? Nearly twenty SOLDIERS, all with enhanced abilities… what more do you want?"_

"_The mako dependency is an issue. I'm not giving up on Deepground, I just need the funding that Shinra provides, so I'm taking this on as a side project. Hm… the blood work for fetus Number Seven is… interesting…"_

"_What is he doing in here?" a squawking voice asked. Hojo entered the lab room, looking over the man in black with disdain._

"_Hojo," he greeted._

"…_What is he doing in here? He has no clearance."_

"_He's my son," the father said, frowning._

"_He still has no clearance… I suggest he leaves."_

"_No, he…"_

"_It's fine. I was just about to go anyway," the man in black said, standing._

"_Son," the father started._

"_No… don't… I'll talk to you about this later."_

Estu opened his eyes, frowning. Deepground… no… that would mean…

He stood, running to Weiss's quarters. The room was empy, but he honestly wouldn't care if it wasn't. He dug through the drawers, spotting the old envelope that Cid had found. Estu pulled the picture, looking at it.

The picture contained three people. A woman with ginger hair and pale brown eyes, a man in a lab coat, face slightly obscured by glasses, and a small boy with tangled black hair.

"Son."

Estu stared at the image of the boy, one he was familiar with. That was him. That was the him from his dreams. But… that would mean…

Estu turned the picture over, looking at the names on the back. Christine and Nero.

"Nero…" he said quietly.

_You remind me of my brother… I hated my brother…_

_You have determination… a quality we share…_

_You know, Weiss does that too._

_You don't give up or let things go… you've made that rather obvious, son._

_All my life, I get compared to him… 'Nero's great', 'Nero's strong', Nero's DEAD._

Estu stood up, still holding the photograph. He closed his eyes, trying to remember it.

_The mother smiled, holding her son's hand. "Look at the camera, okay sweetie?" her voice… so soft and kind… The black haired boy smiled at it. He couldn't have been more than five years old._

"_Mama, where am I goin' after this?"_

"_Just… just a litter trip," she said. She glanced up at the father as the camera flashed. "…He'll be fine right?"_

"_He'll be fine," the father said._

"_Weiss…"_

"_He'll be fine."_

Estu blinked, shaking his head. No… that wasn't… that was just a dream. It had to be a dream.

No, it wasn't… '_Walker repair shop, Ace speaking._'

"So… I have your memories?" Estu ask, looking at the photograph. No… this was too confusing. He walked out of the room, trying to find someone to help.

* * *

><p>In another room on board the ship, Cloud Strife opened an eye, blinking even in the dim light of a lamp near him. <em>My head<em>… He raised a hand up to it, trying to ignore the splitting pain. He looked around the room. Cid, Tifa, and Yuffie had fallen asleep in the bunks around him. A man in a red coat stood still, looking out a window.

"Vincent?" he croaked after a moment. He hadn't at first recognized him, out of his usual cloak.

Vincent turned, red eyes flashing as he stared at him. "Cloud? You're awake."

"Yeah… Where…" he coughed. His voice sounded raspy, as though he hadn't spoken in ages. "Where are we?" he finally managed.

"C- Cloud?" Tifa asked, sitting up. Another sharp pain went through Cloud's head as she embraced him. "Cloud."

"Tifa… what… where?" His head fell back onto the pillow underneath as he lost consciousness again.

* * *

><p>"Wha happened?" Cid slurred, looking down from the bunk.<p>

"Cloud was awake for a moment," Vincent said, looking back over at his friend, out cold again. "I think that's a good sign."

Tifa frowned guiltily. "He passed out again, though…"

"Just give Spiky some time," Cid muttered, rolling back over.

"Cid, it's your shift," Vincent said, stepping out of the room.

"What? But you… arg fine," Cid said, hopping off the bunk bed and sitting on the floor.

Vincent stepped out of the room, looking down the long, lonely hallways. He started up to the exit, wanting to try speaking to Lucrecia again. Maybe this time would work… but it didn't seem as though she'd be able to help much.

He carefully climbed the rock walls, a bit startled to see Estu, sitting against the entrance of the cave, shivering in the cold night air. "…Were you waiting on me?" Vincent asked.

"Yeah… can't go near that room he's in. Hurts my head," Estu explained. Vincent sat down, trying to read past the boy's features. "I… I think I remembered something, but… it's really weird," Estu said, looking at a photograph he clutched in his hand. After a moment of hesitation, he held it out, letting Vincent see.

"…Weiss and his family?" Vincent guessed.

"Yeah but… you remember that guy I told you about? The 'dream me?'" Estu asked. He pointed to the dark haired boy. "That's him. Nero."

"…"

"Which would make the father Weiss… and Tine… Tine would be Argento… Weiss called it a nickname once, but…"

"…"

"What should I do? I have no idea… I…"

"This could be helpful… if you can remember what Nero could…" Vincent paused, looking him over. "Can you remember anything now?"

Estu hung his head. "Not while I'm awake. Unless I have something from his past, like that picture… like the Nibelheim mansion."

"Hm… perhaps we should tell the others-"

"What? ! No! I can't do that!" Estu said, panicked. "Please… I can't tell them! I'm… I'm scared to."

"I won't force you… just consider it," Vincent said, standing back up. He looked at the cave distractedly. "I'm going in. You should get inside, it's cold…and officially November now."

"The day the dead come back," Estu said. Vincent nodded, turning. He listened to the sound of Estu climbing down as he stepped forward, into the cave.

"Lucrecia?"

_I'm sorry._

_Please don't be_… Vincent thought, holding a hand out to the crystal prison.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Too much apologizing? If so, I'm … haha, nevermind.**


	39. Chapter 39

When Vincent finally exited the cave again, the early rays from the rising sun were falling on the airship below. Even after staying the night there, he'd failed to get anything meaningful out of Lucrecia. Somehow, it seemed as though her mind was muddled… perhaps that was an effect of spending three decades in suspended animation.

He climbed back down and boarded the airship. Vincent decided to check up on everyone in Cloud's room first. It was Yuffie's shift, apparently, and she watched over him, drowsily. "Mornin' Vin…" she said tiredly.

"Is he doing any better?" Vincent asked.

"Still out," Yuffie yawned. "Any luck with… her?"

Vincent frowned, looking away. "We'll just have to look into this Fate's Crossing place."

"Mhm…" Yuffie nodded.

Cid sat up on the top bunk, rubbing his eyes. "S'it mornin'?" He looked out the window, annoyed. "Great… well, better get goin'. We gotta get over to Rocket Town real quick to meet up with the _Shera _crew… get my baby back."

"Aw… you're worried about Shera and the baby?" Yuffie teased.

"…Er… right, them," Cid said nervously, hopping off the bunk. "That an' my airship… this one's weird. Literal airship. Keep an eye on Spiky for a bit longer, let poor Tifa sleep."

"Wonder when she'll get up?" Yuffie said, glancing at Tifa, still fast asleep on the other bunk.

"I don't know. Can you watch here alone?" Vincent asked.

Yuffie sighed, "Yeah, I guess. Yay, babysitting Chocobo head… what fun." Vincent smiled slightly, walking out of the room.

Cid's crew quickly got the ship off the ground. Even though it wasn't as good as the Shera by a long shot, it would get them to Rocket Town within a few hours. Vincent paused slightly, glancing at Kunsel and Cissnei who were examining Cloud's helmet.

"…Think if we gut it we can figure out how these things work, Cis?" Kunsel asked, peering inside the helmet.

"Cis?" she asked indignantly. "Well… anything's possible, I guess. We'll look into it in Rocket Town."

Vincent walked on, up to the control room. The layout was more cramped than what Cid was used to, and he had trouble pacing along, overseeing everything. Without much to do for the moment, Vincent slumped against a wall, watching the crew pilot the ship.

* * *

><p>"…Wait… Nero the Sable, you mean?" Ami asked, looking at the photograph. She, Estu, and Marlene were in Weiss's quarters, trying to discreetly gather more info. "But he's… dead, isn't he?"<p>

"That's just the thing, he pretty much is," Estu said, looking over a medical report. "Says he's completely unresponsive…"

"So some sort of vegetative state?" Ami asked.

_Vegetative_… That was apparently how he had been, a few years before. "Something like that, yeah."

"…What's that mean?" Marlene asked. "He doesn't like vegetables?"

Ami smiled, "Nah, it means he slowly grows plants out of his ears. Happens if you accidentally eat a seed."

The girl's eyes widened. "…You're making that up. She's making that up, right Estu?" Marlene asked, scratching at her ear.

"She's making it up," Estu said, pulling open another drawer. "So he 'died' seven years ago… my earliest memory was four years ago… that's a three year gap… what happened then?"

"And how'd you end up with his memories?" Marlene asked. "Isn't this kinda weird for you?"

Estu laughed, "Yeah, but it's not any weirder than anything else in my life." He took a pen to a blank sheet of paper, drawing a line. "But… even though it sounds insane, everything matches up. His 'death' was seven years ago. Sephiroth's was nine years ago." He drew two dots along the line. "On the day of the plane crash, he mentioned to Ace that it had been two years since Sephiroth's death… so seven years."

Estu pulled another file he'd set aside, Argento's medical record. "Tine was ten when he got the weird operation… Nero was sixteen, so eight years before he died. Fifteen years ago… which matches the date on here."

"Seven was captured after an escape about one year before Sephiroth died, meaning he'd have been twenty-one at the time. He mentioned that he was that age, since Ace kept calling him a kid. That was ten years ago…"

"But… wouldn't Seven be the same age as you?" Marlene asked.

Estu frowned, looking away from her. "Yeah… so he was only a year or two old at the time… so messed up. Funny… unlucky Seven." Estu stood, reaching for another piece of paper, this one a letter. "This is the request that Nero train at his own home, instead of the facility I dreamt about once. He would have been five at the time. Then there was Tine's birth a year later… which means his age matches Argento's perfectly."

"So it all adds up… still doesn't explain anything," Ami said.

"Yeah but…" Estu paused, thinking it over. "I can almost feel… this is right. I can't explain it, but somehow, this makes sense to me. I mean, look." Estu looked over a piece of paper, music notes written all over it. "He composed this. This is one of the songs I knew, but couldn't explain why." Estu picked up a picture of him, training. "He always used a short sword, just like me. And look at the materia equipped. That's a bio, which used to be my favorite spell."

"Crazy," Ami said.

"It is, but… somehow, it makes sense to me," Estu replied. "And… when we get to Rocket Town today… I'm going to find this Ace Walker guy… He was Nero's best friend. I'm sure he could confirm a lot of this."

Marlene looked at one of the photographs of Nero and Argento, sitting side by side. "They… both look so sad," she said quietly. "Is this red haired kid really the same guy who took over Junon?"

"People change a lot from when they're kids," Ami said. "So… what are you going to do with all this?" she asked Estu.

Estu shrugged, piling the documents together and slipping them back into a drawer. "I… I don't know. I'm not even sure anyone would believe me. And it's not like I can… I can't tell them about all the Sephiroth stuff."

"How come?" Marlene asked.

"Well… think about it. If I hadn't saved your life back in Costa del Sol, and you just found out I'd been lying to you for weeks, would you trust me at all?" Marlene thought about it for a while before shaking her head. "And… it's not just that, either. They fought against him. He almost killed them. And… they'll look at me, and that's who they'll see." Estu bit his lip, shying away from her. "I am… him, essentially. On a genetic level, we're identical. I don't think many people could see past that."

"I do. Vincent does," Marlene pointed out.

"I know, but… I just can't do it. I guess I'm… I'm a coward sometimes," Estu said.

Ami nudged his shoulder. "C'mon… you gotta cheer up a bit. We'll talk to this Ace guy, figure things out from there. One step at a time."

"Right," Estu said, standing up. "But before that… can we go find breakfast? I'm starving."

Ami rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Alright, kiddos, let's go," she said.

"Who are you calling 'kiddos'," Marlene asked, putting her hands on her hips.

"Seriously, Ami. Are you an adult all of the sudden?"

"I _am_ an adult! I'm eighteen!"

"I'm taller," Estu said.

"Shut up."

* * *

><p><em>'I once had a dream… a vision, if you will…'<em>

_'This will allow… complete control over Omega… over the Lifestream…'_

_An orb, flashing lights and colors swirling inside it, sat just within his reach._

_'And I will become one with Omega… and rule as a god, beside my son…'_

_'Power…immortality… I could do anything. Pluck a soul from the Lifestream if I see fit… My son and I… gods…'_

_'Argento… it's time…'_

"Hey, time to wake up!"

Argento opened an eye wearily. The brightness of the overhead lights nearly blinded him, and he squinted as he looked up at the small figure standing near him. "Zul," he coughed, sitting up and trying to get his bearings. It was a sterile, white environment he found himself in. One of the better operating rooms in their infirmary.

"Valentine managed to break two ribs… careful sitting up," Zul instructed. "Honestly, for someone who claims to be a competent fighter, you got your… what's the phrase? You got your 'ass handed to you.'"

Argento winced as he sat up, glancing at several needles in his arm, supplying IV fluid and mako. "…How long was I out?"

"All of yesterday… it looked as though you managed to inject a bit of mako before you passed out. You should consider yourself lucky."

"Lucky? Yeah, I just about die. Obviously I'm lucky," Argento muttered. "Shelke and Rosso alright?"

"Rosso's fine. She's always been tough…"

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked angrily.

"That… Rosso's fine and has always been tough," Zul said, voice full of sarcasm and condescension. "Shelke was mostly recovered after a few hours. You were the worst off… unsurprisingly."

"Would you shut the hell up?" Argento asked, pulling the needles from his arm and standing.

"Also, your father asks that you call him as soon as possible," Zul said. Argento rolled his eyes, testing his balance. A bit wobbly, but he'd be able to walk. "And one more thing… AVALANCE took your favorite speed cruiser." _#$%^ing great_, Argento thought, frowning. "Oh, and one more thing-"

"WHAT?"

Zul smirked. "Valentine got the shard you had."

"I already #$%^ing know that!" Argento said, slamming his hand on a countertop. It hit a scalpel and sliced open. "Shit! Ow… shit…" he held onto the cut, looking around for his swords.

"You're bleeding a bit," Zul observed.

"I KNOW. Would you help me already?"

"Arge, I'm an engineer, hacker, programmer, and inventor… not a doctor," Zul said, turning away. Frustrated, Argento rummaged through the room, finally finding a hi-potion. It was a bit strong for the relatively small wound, but he didn't care. "Wasting resources…" Zul muttered.

"Shut up." _Don't kill him, don't kill him, don't kill him…_

"And, Argento? If your father murders you, be sure to give my regards to Nero."

Argento grit his teeth and exited the room before he could do anything he would regret. _Deep breaths_, he told himself. But his lungs felt tight… he scratched at his wrist, wondering if he still needed more mako.

'_Tine, he's only six years old. Just don't let him make you angry like this.'_ Yeah, that showed how much Nero knew at the time. Zul had always been the same know-it-all, arrogant smartass he was now.

_Stupid Zul… Stupid Nero…_

He made his way up to his office. He sat in his chair, briefly holding his head in his hands. How could things have gone wrong so quickly? He swallowed nervously as he dialed Weiss's number.

"_Argento_."

"Zul said you wanted me to call you," he said curtly.

"…_I've heard the shard was stolen. Is that true_?"

"Yes, but…"

"_Oh, 'but!' Excellent, I get to hear an excuse. So what is it?"_

Argento sighed. _I was going through withdrawal, I could barely move or breathe, I was outnumbered, #$%^ing Valentine resurrected himself… _"No excuses, sir."

"_Hmmph… How disappointing_," Weiss said. Argento's grip on the phone tightened. _"Well then… obviously you're too incompetent to get the third shard. I'll have to send Rosso… perhaps Shelke and Zul as well."_

"Zul? But he… he can't even fight!" Argento said.

"_And yet I still have a feeling he'd be more helpful than you_."

"No, listen… Father, I…"

"_You what? You want yet another chance to fail?_"

_I'm not a failure…_ "I just want one more chance. I'll get the shard for you. I swear it."

"_That's just the thing… you don't just get to make things up by getting a single shard back. Besides, I'm sure AVALANCHE is on the trail for the shard in question…_"

"I wasn't at full strength yesterday! I'll do fine this time!"

"_Oh, there's your excuse_," Weiss remarked.

"…I'm sorry. Father, please. What will it take to earn your forgiveness?" Argento asked.

"…_The Junon file thief. Do you remember him_?" Weiss asked.

"Kid with a black hat. Yeah," Argento said.

"_Bring him to me… bring him to me ALIVE, and you'll be forgiven."_

"…Why? Why's he so important?" Argento asked.

"_Just do what I say… I'm tired of speaking to you. Go with the others when they're recovered, retrieve the shard and thief, then we'll talk."_

"Of course… I'm sorry, sir. …Father?" Argento frowned. Weiss had already hung up on him. He put the phone back on its receiver, staring ahead of him. He'd been so close… For a while, he'd actually meant something. He'd been important in his father's eyes. He'd just have to be successful this time… if not…

But something seemed wrong about his father's request. Why did he give a damn about some file thief anyway? He picked up his com device, linking to Shelke.

"_Yes, Commander Argento?"_ At least he got a bit of respect from her… even if it sounded like he was speaking to a robot.

"Shelke… I … I need your help with something," he said, feeling like an utter idiot.

"_You need help? What can I help you with, Commander Argento?_" she asked.

"Junon file thief. I need everything there is to know about him… Shelke… he's keeping something from me and I need to know, understand?"

"_Of course. Shall I request Mr. Azul's help in this project?"_

"Keep Zul out of it. In fact, if you could keep this a secret?" Argento asked.

"_I'll do that, sir_."

"…Thank you," he said awkwardly, disconnecting the device. He grimaced… asking Shelke for help. That's what his life had come to.

* * *

><p>It was crowded in the control room. After Tifa had woken up, Yuffie had joined Vincent there, as had Estu, Marlene, and Ami.<p>

"So when are we getting there?" Denzel asked boredly.

"Yeah, are we there yet?" Marlene asked.

"We get there when we get there," Cid said, a vein pulsing. The two had asked the question several times already.

"How 'bout now?" Marlene asked.

"No," Cid said.

"Now?" Yuffie asked.

"What the hell are_ you_ asking for?"

"Just giving you practice," Yuffie laughed.

Cid grumbled, setting his eyes back in front of him. "I swear, you people are drivin' me insane."

"Hey, Cid, where are we?"

Cid turned, angry. "We aren't there yet… Cloud?"

Cloud leaned slightly on Tifa for support, but he raised his hand slightly, giving a wave to everyone in the room. "Hey, guys."

"Cloud!" Marlene yelled, running across the room and hugging him.

"Oof… hey, kiddo…" he said warmly. Denzel walked up a bit slower, trying to show a bit of restraint, giving a smile and nod. Yuffie was much less gentle than either of them, running up to the man and ruffling his hair. "Hey! Quit!"

"Shut up. I missed you, you spiky-headed jerk."

"It's… good to see you, Cloud," Vincent said, standing up and walking towards him.

"Er… good to see you, too, Vince. So what's going on? Why are we flying? Were we on the way to a hospital or something?"

"You don't…" Vincent paused, back at Cid briefly. "Cloud… what's the last thing you remember?"

"Uh…" he paused, thinking about it. "Let's see… we were just about to head out of the Seventh Heaven." He glanced down at Marlene. "By the way, can you go get your dad? I wanted to ask him something about his wind generator thing." Marlene froze, lip quivering.

"…Cloud, how long ago was that?" Vincent asked, worried.

"Um… a few hours ago? Maybe a day? Did I hit my head? It… hurts…" He shut his eyes tight, rubbing his forehead. "So where are we?"

"…Central continent, about six hours outside Rocket Town," Cid answered.

"Huh? How'd we get here so fast?" Cloud looked around, confused. "And… who are all these people? And…"

"Cloud… I'll explain…" Tifa said quietly.

"But… how'd we get here so fast?" Cloud asked.

"It… hasn't been a few hours. It's been a few months," she said. Cloud stepped away from her, blinking in confusion. "A… a lot's happened. C'mon, I'll fill you in," she said, holding her hand out.

"But… no, it hasn't been that long. I… I just saw you guys a few hours ago… we were back at the bar! It's… August, right?"

"It's November," Vincent said, frowning.

"November? But…" he froze suddenly. "Where's Barret?" Vincent looked away, guiltily. "Where's Barret? Where's Reeve, and Tseng, and Elena? They were with us. Are they…"

"Come on Cloud. I'll tell you about it," Tifa said, pulling his arm. Cloud looked around at everyone and nodded, slowly walking away with her.

Vincent slumped back down. It was as though the events of the last few months all happened again all at once. "He has no idea what's happened," he said.

"Poor Tifa… can't be easy, telling him," Yuffie said, sitting back down.

"So… if he came back does that mean my Dad…" Marlene began to ask. Vincent shook his head, looking away from the girl. She sat by his side and he wrapped an arm around her, trying to give her at least a bit of comfort.

"…We aren't there yet," Cid said to no one in particular, trying to break the uncomfortable silence. It didn't work. For a while, no one else spoke, all going about their business or waiting idly as they flew towards Rocket Town.

* * *

><p>Estu didn't know much about what had happened before to AVALANCHE before he'd met them… only hearing bits and pieces of the story from Marlene and Vincent. Still… he couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for all of them, after what were obviously painful memories had been brought up again.<p>

Him… sorry for all of them? _Great… I've gone soft._

Still, he didn't know what he could really do to help. He supposed there wasn't much he could do, aside from wait around.

It was nearly two hours before Cloud reentered the control room. He turned to Marlene. "I'm… I'm sorry," he said quietly. She nodded, her face still partially buried in Vincent's jacket. Cloud frowned, knowing his apology hadn't done much of anything and turned towards Cid. "So… we're trying to save the world again."

"Yeah… Picked up a few more people on the way, too. Want me to introduce you?" the pilot asked.

"Yeah… I guess…"

"Alright, well," Cid pointed to Kunsel and Cissnei, looking over the helmet still. "The Turk's Cissnei, and he's an ex. SOLDIER and leader of the Nibelheim militia."

Kunsel gave a slight wave. "Er… you might not remember me, but I was friends with Zack back in the day."

Cloud blinked. "Oh… right, helmet guy. Luxierre, right?"

He sighed. "Kunsel, actually. (Why do people always get me and Lux mixed up?)"

"Anyway," Cid continued. "Over there we've got Justin, Forrest, and Jarim, other militia members,Ami and Estu… also militia, my crew… Er… what are you staring at?"

Estu looked up at the man, now glaring at him. He awkwardly waved, but Cloud still stared angrily.

"How did _he_ get here?" Cloud asked, walking towards Estu.

"What?" Cid asked.

"_Him_… look!" Cloud said, pointing. Estu took a step back, pulling his hat lower. "How the hell did you get here? !"

"I… I don't know what you're talking about," Estu said, briefly glancing up into Cloud's eyes. They were a startling blue, and filled with hatred.

"Yeah, well what the hell are you? Another remnant?" Cloud asked, reaching towards Estu's hat.

"Cloud wait!" Vincent said.

It was too late. Cloud pulled his hat away, and Estu stood, feeling exposed, grey hair on display for the entire room to see. He ducked his head, trying to get away from the stares of shock and horror.

"…You're… you're… a remnant?" Cid asked.

"No! I'm not! I-"

"Then who the hell are you?"

"I… I'm his… his… copy," Estu said quietly.

"His copy? …Why does he keep coming back? Can't you just stay dead?" Cloud asked. "Where's my sword?"

"I don't want to fight you," Estu said, backing away from the warrior. He felt his back hit a wall. He was cornered. "Really, I don't! Please just listen-"

"Listen to him Cloud," Vincent said, approaching him.

"Why? So he can get inside my head again?" Cloud asked.

"Shut up, everyone," Cid said, walking towards Estu. "…You lied to all of us," he said quietly. "I thought you were just some kid. I helped you."

"I… didn't lie," Estu said, looking down.

"Yeah, you just hid the truth," he turned to Cloud. "Let's not do anything hasty just yet. We'll talk about this… just hang on."

"But he's-"

"I #$%^ing _know_," Cid said. "Kunsel, I want him in a room, locked, under watch."

"But-" Estu started.

"Don't," Cid said lividly. "Don't even. Kunsel, go."

"Yes sir," Kusel said, pushing Estu out of the control room.

"Wait, Mr. Highwind! Estu's not a bad kid, please listen!" he heard Ami pleading.

"Estu!" he heard Marlene's voice call.

They all seemed distant, as though they were happening to another person. Estu looked down at his feet as he walked along the ship's halls. "So… I guess this is what I sensed…" Kunsel said quietly.

"Listen, I'm not evil! I swear I'm not!" Estu said frantically.

"But you've been lying. How do I know you're telling the truth now?" Kunsel asked, opening a door. Estu stepped inside and sat on the bed. "…I'll try to see what I can do for you, though. Don't worry."

_Easy for him to say_, Estu thought as the door closed and locked. That was it. They all knew now. His life was over.

What was going to happen to him? Would they… the thought of what they would do to the actual Sephiroth flashed through his mind. And worst of everything, he couldn't see a way to get out of this on his own.

* * *

><p>"Cid, listen," Vincent said, stepping between him and Cloud.<p>

"What… you _knew_, didn't you?" Cid asked.

"I did. But that's not the point."

"You knew that Sephiroth was with you and didn't tell anyone?" Cloud asked.

"He isn't Sephiroth," Vincent said.

"Fine, his 'copy' then! Why didn't you tell anyone?"

"Because… he was afraid of anyone knowing. He didn't even know who he was until recently," Vincent said. "He really isn't a threat. He's helped up on several occasions, hasn't he Cid?" Cid stared downward, silent.

"He saved my life in Costa del Sol," Marlene said, looking at them. "Cloud, he's not bad, really. I knew, too, but-"

"What, so he convinced you to keep it a secret? You see, he manipulated her," Cloud said.

Ami, looking distressed, stepped forward. "Listen, Mr. Highwind, Estu isn't-"

"Ami, get out. This isn't your place," Cid said.

"He's my brother!"

"So you're biased."

"You're all being biased," Vincent pointed out. "Perhaps you should give the boy a chance to explain himself?"

"And then what? He pulls some weird mind control crap and stabs you with a katana when you turn your back!" Cloud shouted.

"…Actually, he uses a wakizashi," Marlene said.

Cloud turned, shaking his head at her. "Listen. Everyone but the crew and AVALANCHE members needs to get out."

"But-"

"No, Marlene, let us talk about this."

Everyone left the room, leaving Cloud, Cid, Yuffie, and Vincent. "So how long have you known," Cid asked.

"Since we left Gongaga. Cid, he was scared. Scared and confused. He had no idea what he was."

"How could he not know?" Cloud asked.

Vincent shrugged. "You know Cloud, I'd expected you to be a bit more understanding."

"Why on Gaia would you think that?"

"Because once upon a time, you thought you were just a copy, too," Vincent said.

Cloud's eyes narrowed. "I'm not. I'm Cloud Strife."

"I know. That's the difference between you and him. You at least have the comfort of knowing you aren't a copy. He doesn't. Your nightmare is the reality he has to live with." Cloud looked away uncomfortably. "It's only been about a week since he found everything out. It hurt him, a lot. He hates Sephiroth every bit as much as you do."

"How could he?" Cloud asked.

"It's… complicated," Vincent said. "But he really doesn't mean any of you harm."

"And how do you know that?" Cid asked. "Do you honestly trust him?"

"Trust him? No, not really. Not anymore than he trusts me… but I can see his intentions. He's lost right now, so he's only doing what he knows, trying to help us in any way he can. Perhaps you should first calm down, then speak to him yourselves?"

"…I'm going to talk to Tifa," Cloud said, turning towards the exit of the room. "He needs to be dealt with. You know that, don't you?"

"No… I don't," Vincent said as Cloud left the room.

Yuffie looked over at them, then walked over to where Estu's hat sat on the ground. "Think he'll want this back?" she asked.

"Now's not the time to act like a clown," Cid said, crossing his arms.

"I'm being serious," she said. "The way I see it, you've kept trusting people even after bigger betrayals than this. You forgave Cait Sith and me, didn't you? Vincent and Cloud both kept secrets from everyone, but you forgave them."

"That's different… no… it ain't, is it?" Cid asked. He turned to Vincent. "I wish you'd told us, but… I guess I see why ya didn't."

"So now what?" Vincent asked.

"I… I don't know," Cid admitted.

"And… now that Cloud's back, who decides?" Yuffie asked.

"I don't know that either… just give me a minute, let me think," Cid said, looking out the windows at the stretch of land in front of them.

* * *

><p>Estu hugged his knees, trying to stay calm. Maybe he could escape somehow. If they waited until landing before they decided what to do with him, he might be able to run off the ship… But he didn't think they'd be that careless.<p>

"Hey kid?" he heard Kunsel's voice whisper.

"Yeah?" Estu asked.

"I'm opening the door, don't try and escape, all right?"

"Um… all right?" Maybe Kunsel could read his mind… a scary thought.

The door opened and Marlene ran in. "Estu, I tried telling them that you're not mean and they didn't listen and they kicked me out and-"

"Whoa, slow down," he said.

"I'm sorry… I tried… but I won't let them hurt you, see?" she showed off the armband on her wrist. "Fire and ice."

"Don't fight them to protect me. They're your friends," Estu said, moving her arm back.

"You're my friend too," she sniffed. "I don't want anything bad to happen to you… I'm scared."

"Don't be. They won't be mad at you long," Estu said.

"But… but… I don't want them to hurt you!" she said hugging him.

Estu took a deep breath, using every ounce of self control to keep himself from shoving her off. "Look, I'll be fine," he lied. "I'll just… think of something… it'll be all right, really."

"I know you don't mean that… you're scared too."

"…Yeah. But don't worry about me. I'm… not really that important. Just a copy," he said.

"No you aren't!" she said, standing up.

"Yes, I am. That's what I am, a clone. Do you want me to show you the files?" he asked.

"No," Marlene said, "I mean… that's not all you are. You're… you're more than just that."

Estu said nothing, staring at the door of the room. "Did any of it matter in the end? I haven't even gotten to do anything important… just a quest to find myself, but did it matter?"

"Of course! Quit being so… so stupid! …I'm sorry, I shouldn't have called you stupid… it's not nice, but you're being stupid. If you hadn't been there I'd have been captured by those Deepground guys. Even if Vincent and everyone had saved me, Cloud might've hurt me when he had that helmet on. You've made a difference for me, at least!"

"Thanks, but… I don't think they'll care."

"Maybe they will, I mean… they're all good… maybe they'll see you are."

"I'm not good."

"Yes you are," Marlene said. "Would you just look at yourself for once? You aren't as bad as you think you are."

Estu glanced at the reflective surface of the window. "I'm looking at myself… he doesn't seem too good to me."

"Stop! Would you please-"

The door opened and Cloud and Vincent stepped in. "…Marlene, how'd you? Never mind, get out for a minute," Vincent said. Marlene shook her head and grabbed Estu's arm.

"Marlene, let go. Just let go."

"I don't want to," she said, close to tears.

Estu swallowed, looking away from the two pairs of eyes that watched him. "Marlene, please… you're making this harder for both of us," he said. "Please… just let go. Go talk to Denzel or something… just go. Please." He looked directly into her eyes. "Please just go."

Marlene nodded, quietly leaving the room. Estu tried keeping his face blank, smoothing his hair back before turning to Cloud and Vincent. "…I don't know what I'm supposed o say," he admitted.

"What do you want?" Cloud asked.

"Same thing as the rest of you. I'm trying to stop Deepground."

"…Why? Why do you care?"

"Why do you?"

"Because they… they killed my friends. They destroyed my home," Cloud said. "They used me to fight for them, held me up on strings like a… a puppet."

"Well… they've hurt people in front of me, too… and Weiss has been trying to capture me, so… it's personal," Estu said.

"But why are you here? Why are you…. You're a clone of him!"

"Yeah, I know," Estu said.

"Don't you realize I keep trying to get rid of him and he keeps coming back?"

"Well I'm sorry for existing then!" Estu said, losing his calm. "I didn't choose this! I didn't choose it any more than you chose getting that Stratus helmet shoved on your head!"

"How do I know you aren't lying? You won't even look me in the eye!" Cloud said.

"Yeah, because you scare me."

He looked taken aback. "I scare you?"

"Well you did swing a sword at me," Estu said.

He looked away, guiltily… "Vince, I can't do this."

"Just wait a minute," Vincent said. Estu rubbed his head, trying to ignore the pain that had already started. "Are you okay?" Vincent asked.

"Fine. Just fine. If you're going to do something to me, just do it. I don't want to be around him. He makes my head hurt. And he… never mind."

"What?" Cloud asked. "I what?"

"You remind me of him."

"What? You're the one who looks just like him!" Cloud said.

"Yeah, but you feel the way I assume he does… And… I …" He rubbed his head again. _Reunion… Conquer the Lifestream… I will, mother…_

"Can he please get out? I can't even think!" Estu said. He moved back, as far away as he could, making some of the whispers stop. "… A little better… can you hear it too?"

Cloud's eyes briefly widened. "How'd you know I… you're causing it, aren't you?"

"I thought you were?" Estu said.

Vincent looked from one to the other. "…Jenova cells… some of the last on the planet."

Cloud stood, stepping towards the door. "You… really aren't… him?"

"No. I said that already," Estu replied.

Cloud stepped out and Estu listened to his steps down the hall. He turned to Vincent, worried. "What's going to happen? Is he going to kill me?"

"No… I won't let that happen, trust me," Vincent replied.

"Then what?" Estu asked. Vincent didn't answer, but stayed with him in the room until Cid and Cloud entered.

Vincent moved in front of Estu, watching both of them. "I ain't gonna hurt him," Cid said. Vincent nodded and stepped aside. "Kid."

"Yeah?" he answered. Cid tossed the beanie hat back, frowning.

"We… decided that you aren't really a threat, but… I can't have someone like you on my ship. When we get to Rocket Town, that's it. You ain't gettin' back on."

"I… understand," Estu said, pulling his hat on.

"…That's it. You're free to go once we land." Cid left and Estu hugged his knees again, looking away.

"I was an idiot," Estu said. "I really thought I could keep this under wraps…"

"At least you'll be all right," Vincent said.

"But… I don't want to just live. I want them to think of me as a person, not an experiment. See me, not _him_. Is that so wrong? I want to help fight Deepground but…" Estu looked downwards. "I thought, maybe everything would work out okay. I'm such an idiot."


	40. Chapter 40

The time on board the airship passed slowly. Vincent didn't leave the room Estu was in, but didn't speak either. Estu didn't really care, the company was at least somewhat comforting. He looked out the window as the airship landed, taking a deep breath.

"…I guess this is it," he said, standing.

"I'll try to talk to them again after they've calmed down. Perhaps-"

"Don't bother. It's over," Estu said. "I just wish… well, I guess it doesn't matter." He walked towards the door, knocking lightly on the frame. "Kunsel? Can I come out now?"

"Yeah, hang on…" The door unlocked and opened. "All right… let's go." Estu nodded, looking downward. Kunsel walked him through the halls. Estu kept his eyes down, ignoring the looks and whispers from the crew and militia members who hadn't been in the room with them. Word had traveled fast.

As they neared the exit, Kunsel gave him a slight smile. "For what it's worth… I still think you're all right."

"Thanks," Estu replied flatly.

"…Good luck, kid," he said as the doors opened and Estu stepped off.

Rocket Town seemed much colder, much harsher than he'd remembered. He took a few steps away from the airship, looking around. He heard the commotion of the airship crew behind him as they went to assist preparations on the _Shera. _Estu shoved his hands in his pockets as he walked forward.

"Hey, wait up!" Ami ran towards him, breathing heavily as she caught up. "Okay… are you all right?" she asked, looking him over.

"I'm fine."

"Are you sure? They didn't-"

"I'm_ fine_," he repeated. "What are you doing now?"

"Going with you. So where's this Walker guy live?" she asked.

Estu glanced from her to the militia members, helping the airship crew. "Ami… you should stay with them. Don't worry about me. I'll be alright."

"Don't be ridiculous," she said. "I'm not leaving you."

"If I'm stuck without their help, I'm not going to get anywhere," Estu said, looking out at the town, avoiding his sister's eyes. "I'll… I'll be fine on my own. I've always been good at taking care of myself. And you still want to help them fight against Deepground, don't you?"

"Not without you," Ami said stubbornly.

Estu shook his head. "You're still needed with them and this… this is something I really need to do alone. Just give me a while. Go with them."

"I'm _not_ leaving without you."

"I don't want to hold you back," he said. Estu walked away from her towards the town. Ami rolled her eyes and ran up to him again. "Look, I told you I want to be alone. I still have things I need to do, okay?"

"…I can't lose you again."

Estu frowned, thinking back to his last visit to Rocket Town, standing in the storm, horrified at what he'd learned. It felt so long ago already. "You won't. I need you to keep an eye on Marlene anyway. She's been through too much already and… would you get angry if I said she's almost like a younger sister?"

"Course not, it's not like I'm … jealous… hm…" She twirled a finger through her hair, looking into the distance. "Well, maybe I am, but… not of her." She glanced back at the crew. "I'm going to try getting them to… it wouldn't work with me, would it? They barely know me…"

"It's okay. Really it is."

"Really?" she asked seriously.

"…No. But I can keep moving from here. I…" He found it was getting harder to speak. "I'm just going now, okay?" He turned from her before she could give an answer and walked towards the Walker house, feeling tears trickle down his face.

* * *

><p>"Cid, I think you made a mistake," Vincent said, following behind the pilot as they walked to his house.<p>

"I didn't. He's… Vince, you of all people should remember what Sephiroth was capable of," Cid said.

"But, Cid, he's-"

"He _killed_ Aerith. He _killed_ her. And don't tell me you've forgotten that. I remember what… what you tried right after…"

"Can we please not talk about that?" Vincent asked.

"Taking your own gun and-"

"Cid! I thought we agreed not to speak of that," Vincent said, glaring at him. "Anyway… it didn't work," he continued quietly. "And it's entirely beside the point. Estu is not Sephiroth. You met him before the rest of us. Did he seem dangerous to you?"

"…I made my decision. And I know for a _fact_ you won't abandon the mission, so don't try threatenin' that." _Damn… I was going to try that next… Cid knows me too well. _"Anyway, why do you care? I get that he's her son sorta, but… don't ya think you should move on?"

"…I can't."

"#$%^ing idiot," Cid muttered, walking away from him.

* * *

><p>Estu stared at the shop in front of him. <em>Just go in<em>. It shouldn't have been that hard, but he felt as though something almost barred him from entering. _Just go_… He pushed against the door, walking inside.

A tinkling bell rang overhead as he entered. He glanced at the shelves on the walls, stacked with various plane parts, in all degrees of use. Some glistened from the lights as though they were brand new, others were rusted from disuse. One of the worst looking ones was labeled 'antique – a rarely found part for collectors.' _Bull crap_… he thought, smiling slightly. But it was a good joke, either way.

"Hey, c'mon in, just hang on a sec!" a voice from the back of the shop called. Estu stiffened when he heard it. He shut his eyes, letting his last memory of hearing it wash over him. '_Don't save me, you idiot, save yourself!_' A plummeting plane, wind whipping past his hair. _'No! No! …Nero!_'

"Can I help you?"

Estu jumped, looking up. A tall man with a wiry build stood above him, leaning on a cane for support. "…Ace Walker?" Estu asked. He was older… Estu supposed that made sense, after seven years. Streaks of grey ran through his brown hair. A bit of it coved his face, hiding the worst edges of what looked like severe scarring. Where his face wasn't scarred, it was slightly wrinkled, from both worry and laughter, as it seemed. "You're…" Estu stopped himself from saying '_real_,' or '_alive_.'

Ace raised an eyebrow. "Can I help you?" he repeated. Estu was at a loss for words, looking over the man he'd seen and talked to in his dreams so many times. Ace noticed Estu's eyes linger over his left leg and the cane he held. "…Old injury," he explained. "So what can I get for you? Do you need a plane part? We've got a bit of everything."

"I… no, I don't need any parts."

"Well, think you're in the wrong store, kid?" Ace asked.

"No… no, actually, I was looking for…er… you," Estu said.

"Me? …And why's that?" he asked warily.

"I…" How could he explain his situation? "I need to ask about Nero the Sable," he finally said.

He noticed Ace step back a bit and his grip on the cane tightened. "So who are you with? Resistance group? Or are you with Deepground, fishing out traitors?"

"I'm… working independently, actually. Are you still… loyal to Deepground?"

"Loyal? To them, no. I've got no ties with the program now. …How'd you find me, though? Not many people know I knew Nero."

"I've been on his trail for a while," Estu said. That was true, more or less. "So do you think you can help?"

Ace glanced out his window. "Looks like it's gonna be a slow day… Might as well, since you're here. Just come with me around back," he said, hobbling forward. He led Estu to a door at the side, connecting the shop to his home. "Kids are all out today… picked a good time. Nice and windy… my daughter wanted to fly a kite," he said, a smile on his lips.

"Sounds like fun," Estu said, walking towards a table Ace stopped at abruptly.

"Go ahead and sit," Ace said.

"Er… right," Estu muttered, sitting in one of the chairs.

"…So… you want to know about Nero."

"Yes," Estu said, wondering where to start. "He was the first Deepground operative, right?"

"The first and the best," Ace said. "Never had another quite like him."

"He…" Estu swallowed nervously, drumming his fingers across the table. Ace glanced at his hand, snorting in amusement. "Sorry," Estu said, stopping. "Bad habit."

"No, it's fine… Nero actually used to do the same thing. Usually on windows... always so noisy. Never seemed to realize he was doing anything… You should've seen him when he sat at a piano and started. Scared the hell out of him."

Estu laughed, feeling a bit less uneasy. "Well… his father was Weiss, right?"

"Yeah… never really liked the guy though. You'd think he would. You'd think he'd love the man and his brother would've hated him, but it was always the other way around. He was always the favorite, but… sometimes I wondered who had it worse off."

"Did Weiss push him a lot? Did they ever try anything like… well what they're doing now?" Estu asked.

Ace pulled a comb from his pocket and ran it through his hair a few times. "You have to understand, Deepground isn't the same as it was back them. Used to be more like SOLDIER or the Turks. Not freaking insane. It's Weiss that changed it. They all disappear for a while, he slowly sinks into madness and comes out more bitter and ruthless than ever… All after Nero…" He paused, setting the comb down. "Sorry… I… I was close to him, too."

"You were friends."

"Yeah… I was really his only one."

"How… sad," Estu said.

"Yeah… poor kid." '_Would you stop calling me 'kid'? __I'm twenty-one for god's sake!'_ "But… I don't really see how this is gonna help you…er... what's your name again?"

"Estu," he answered.

"Weird name…"

"Yeah, I know. …I have to ask, what happened to him after the… the crash?"

Ace looked down in grief. "He was with me at the time. Apparently it was two hours before they could get help for either of us. The only reason I lived… he did his best to save me. That was the only reason I'm alive. I got out mostly unscathed, but… my leg got crushed… I couldn't help. And Nero…" Ace paused to clear his throat. "They said with the impact, he suffered severe brain damage and… he'd never wake up. He… didn't. His father kept him alive, did who knows what to him. The man's insane. Wouldn't be surprised if he tried to revive the guy somehow…"

"And what about Tine? What happened to him afterwards?"

"Well, Argento always… wait… did you call him 'Tine?'"

Estu froze uncomfortably. "I… might have?"

"Nero was the only one who ever used that nickname. Argento himself disowned the name around the time he was fourteen… how did you learn it?"

"I…"

"Daaaaddddyyy!" A little girl ran into the house, throwing herself onto Ace's lap. "Daddy, Ashton broke my kite!"

"Did not! Quit lying, Amelia!" A boy about Denzel's age yelled, running inside.

"Amelia, what happened?" Ace asked.

"He broke it!" she said again, holding the pieces up.

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Hey, calm down," Ace said. He picked up the kite, examining it. "Okay, tape, string, and two popsicle sticks, go." Ashton nodded, running and retrieving the supplies. Ace put the kite back together in little time, turning it over and examining it when he'd finished. "All set. Play nice, all right you two?"

"Okay," they both said.

The front door opened to the sound of heavy panting. "And please don't wear Walter out," Ace continued. They both nodded, running back outside. "All right, Walt?" Ace asked.

"Need… a break… can't… keep up…" he panted, walking towards the table. He paused, blinking in surprise. "Estu?"

"Do you know him?" Ace asked.

"Yeah… What brings you back here?" Walter asked.

Estu bit his lip, looking away from both of them. "Just doing a bit of info gathering. Actually, I was just leaving," he said, standing and starting towards the door. He stopped short as a loud pair of feet thundered down the stairs. Estu took a few steps back, looking up at the boy in front of him.

"Huh. Nice to see you again, S-2," came the rapid and smug voice.

"…Hello, Tony," Estu replied nervously.

* * *

><p>"Vinnie, please don't be so down," Yuffie said, poking at him. Vincent gave her a sharp glare, then turned his attention back towards the flurry of movement below. He sat on the roof of Cid's house, trying to get away from the crowds. Yuffie, of course, had little trouble climbing up there as well.<p>

"We'll be able to leave for the last shard by tomorrow morning. Doesn't that make you happy at all?"

"Yes… I suppose so," Vincent said, though he didn't really mean it.

"…You know, it's weird, but I never even realized he looked like Sephiroth," Yuffie said.

"Well, no one did."

"Noticed he looks a little like you, though."

Vincent turned away, not saying a word.

"So is he…?"

"Sephiroth was Hojo's son," Vincent said slowly. "He told you all that, remember?"

"But Hojo was insane," Yuffie said_. You don't have to tell me that._ "So…"

"He was Hojo's son," Vincent repeated. Yuffie narrowed her eyes at him. "Please just drop it. I don't want to talk about it."

"Well… okay then, if you say so..." Yuffie said. She glanced out at the sun, beginning to set on the horizon. "We're almost there, you know. I think when everything's done with, I'm gonna have to pay my old man a visit. It'll be good to see Wutai again, too." Vincent nodded. "So what about you? What are you gonna do first?"

"I have no idea," he answered.

"You never do…. Do you, Vinnie?" she asked worriedly.

Vincent crossed his arms as he watched the Shera crew slowly file out of the ship. "It's hard making long term plans when you don't have much to live for."

"Hm… Well, maybe that's all you need, a cause or… or a career aside from helping WRO out just to pay the rent… or maybe a hobby?"

"A hobby doing what?" he asked.

"You seem like a knitting kind of guy," she joked.

"Or crocheting?" he asked, somewhat amused.

"Psh, I dunno the difference," she said.

"Neither do I… I think that might present an issue in the pursuit of the hobby."

"Yeah…" she paused, sniffing. "Mmm… kitchen smells good. I'll catch ya later, Vince." She quickly climbed down from the rooftop to eat. He shook his head at her, smiling slightly. Somehow, it seemed she could always make him feel a little lighter. He was just starting to realize that.

* * *

><p>Tony walked up to him, grinning and patting Estu on the shoulder. "Good to see ya, friend. Thought it'd be a while after last time." Estu stepped away from him, mind blank with fear. "Aw, what's the matter? Something troubling your soul?"<p>

An odd phrase… and perfectly intentional. Estu firmly believed that everything Tony did was carefully thought out.

"Tony, could you step outside and keep an eye on my children? I think Walter's asthma is giving him some trouble," Ace said, perceptively looking from Estu to Tony.

"I'm not too good with kids," Tony said. "C'mon, Walt, you're all right."

"I… am pretty… winded," Walter said.

"Seriously? Do I really have to?" Tony asked.

"Well, it's the least you could do, considering I let you stay here," Ace said, tone turning a bit threatening.

Tony gave the man a bemused look, but shrugged and stepped out the door without another word.

"…Okay, there, kid?" Ace asked after Tony had left.

"Yes… thank you," Estu said, embarrassed. He knew he shouldn't be afraid of Tony. It didn't make sense for him to be afraid. It wasn't as though he could really do much to him… well… that wasn't exactly true. He had such power over words, over other people's thoughts and emotions. He could get inside a person's head, twist the truth into something horrible… Estu clenched his fists, looking over at Ace and Walter. "Didn't realize you and him were still here," he said.

"Yeah?" Walter asked. "Well, it's not like we could go back to Junon."

"No, guess not."

"…What's he got on you, Estu?" Ace asked.

"Nothing!"

"Why do you think that, Uncle Ace?" Walter asked.

"Kid's trouble. I've been telling you that," Ace said. "So, how did you learn Argento's nickname?"

It took Estu a moment to remember how he'd slipped up. "Um… Lucky guess?" Ace rolled his eyes at him giving Estu a withering look. The gesture brought a strange rush of déjà vu… Nero had been on the receiving end of that look too many times. It said, 'Really? Think I'm gonna fall for that one?' "It's hard to explain…" he finally admitted.

"Yeah, well I'm curious… By the way, care for a cookie?"

"…What?"

"A cookie. Alicia just baked some earlier today," Ace said.

"No thank you. I'm not really a fan of sweets."

"That's weird."

"You're weird," Estu replied.

"Hm…" Ace said. "Well maybe I could put on some music instead. Would you like that Nero?"

"That would be nice," Estu said.

Walter looked at the two, confused.

"You always were big on music, eh Nero? Remember when President Shinra yelled at you for moving a piano into the company headquarters?"

Estu laughed. "Yeah, he was… holy crap." Estu touched his own lips, not quite believing he'd been talking. "How… how'd you…?" There was the memory… plain as day - the president yelling at Nero while he looked on, nonchalantly. He knew that he was too valuable an asset to get rid of, and honestly didn't care what the President thought. Yet, Estu couldn't remember ever having dreamt it before.

"Is it really you then?" Ace asked. "I… I don't know how that's possible but… Is it really you, Nero?"

"No… I'm sorry," Estu said. "I'm not your friend. I just have his memories."

"Are you sure… I mean… You look different, but…"

"I'm sorry," Estu said. "I… I should go."

"And where are you gonna go?" Ace asked.

Estu froze, looking down at his feet. "I don't know. I don't really have anywhere anymore. …Ace? Can I… trust you?"

Ace shrugged. "What do you think?"

"Well… It's weird… I normally don't trust people at all. But… I feel almost like you're a really old friend. Maybe it's his memories… I don't know."

"If you need a place to stay tonight we could always kick Tony out," Ace joked.

"We can't do that," Walter said. "Guy doesn't forgive and can't forget, so I'll never hear the end of it."

"I still don't understand how you two are friends. Honestly I think you're an idiot for putting up with him all these years," Ace said.

"…You said that about Ti… er… Argento, I mean," Estu said suddenly.

"Yeah, a dozen times. So?"

"Nothing, just thought it was weird," Estu said. He glanced over at Walter who had pulled a computer from his backpack. "So… could I talk to you out in the shop again?"

Ace nodded as he stood, testing the weight on his leg before walking back towards it. When they got there he leaned back against a wall as he waited for Estu to speak. "So what are you going to do now?" he asked.

"Well… I need to fight Deepground. They're looking for me, but… I don't know how anymore. I was part of the resistance movement but… that's not really an option anymore."

"Why's that?" Ace asked.

"Well… it's complicated, but… I lied to them and now they… no, that's not it exactly. I… They found out I'm… um…" He sighed, looking downward. "It's really hard to explain… but… can you keep a secret?"

"Sure, about what?"

"Well… it might shock you," Estu said. He reached towards his hat and pulled it off, shutting his eyes for a moment. After thirty seconds of silence, he looked up at Ace, who seemed remarkable calm.

"Huh…" he finally said. "So is that it, then?"

"What? But… But… you aren't… freaked out or anything?" Estu asked, surprised.

"You should know it takes a lot to impress me," Ace said. "So you're what, a mini-Sephiroth?"

"Basically."

"…God, Nero hated that guy. That's kinda messed up."

"Yeah," Estu said.

"So they don't trust you because of that? Makes sense."

"…Yeah," Estu said, feeling depressed.

"Well obviously you need to win them back over," Ace said, as though that were the simplest thing in the world.

"How am I supposed to do that? I can't change what I am."

"But, see, there's the thing. What you are and what they see you as can be completely different. Remind them that you're useful."

"How?"

"Beats me," Ace said. "You're the one in this mess, kid."

"Thanks," he muttered.

"But in all seriousness, do you need a place to stay tonight? It's getting a little late," Ace said.

"They're leaving in the morning…"

"Maybe something will come to you… If you're anything like him… you'll think of something, I'm sure."

"I hope so," Estu said. "No… I will, I need to. I'm not getting left behind now, I've come too far."

Ace smiled his crooked half smirk. "God, you're just like him… Are you sure you aren't?"

"I have no idea anymore, to be honest."

"Well, come on, there's a couch I can spare," Ace said, leading Estu back into his home.

* * *

><p>"I believe I have sufficient data on the thief you asked me to research, Commander Argento."<p>

"Really? I'll be right over," Argento said, running towards Shelke's computer room. His breath caught as he sprinted down the hallway, and he stopped, coughing a few times before reaching for a syringe stored in his pocket. He steadied himself as he jabbed it into his arm, sending the rush of mako throughout his body._ Five hours… they're getting closer together._ He stood still for a moment, letting his lungs loosen up before he walked the rest of the way to the computer room.

"So what did you find?" he asked. Shelke stood at the center of the room, wearing a large helmet, connected to the surrounding computers. The helmet looked as though it weighed more than she did.

"It was difficult, going by what little information was available to us… but I started by running the thief's face through a recognition prossessor, trying to find a match."

"Anything?"

"Yes, actually, but the result seems to be an anomaly of some sort." An image of the boy's face appeared on a large screen on the wall. "This is him, correct? It is 96% accurate to the picture we captured on October 9th."

"Yeah, that's him," Argento said. "Why?"

"This is an image of former General Sephiroth at the age of twelve." The image zoomed back, adding long silver hair to the boy's face. "There is a strong probability that this goes beyond a typical family resemblance. This is more akin to the result you would see for identical twins."

"But… the thief's just a kid. His twin would have been in his thirties by now."

"I assume you have heard of the process of artificial twinning?" Shelke asked. "I myself do not know the details of the process, but-"

"Are you saying the thief's a clone?" Argento asked.

"Yes. That is my theory. …You are a bit quicker than Mr. Azul claims you are," Shelke said.

"Yeah, well he's an arrogant son of a bitch…"

"Commander Argento, Mr. Azul's medical reports do not indicate that his mother is a female hound."

"It's an expression, Shelke."

"I apologize. I was unaware of that expression. It is a rather humorous comparision, however, because it indicates that Mr. Azul is part-"

"Yeah, it's great," Argento said, cutting her off. "Pull a record of my father's work related to Sephiroth."

Shelke wordlessly obliged and the screen showed several subprojects. "S-2… sounds important. I think I remember my brother mentioning it once." Shelke pulled information onto the screen. Argento looked it over, spotting a familiar acronym. "LFT units? What's that doing here?"

"Subject Number Four was used to test them."

"Interesting… Shelke, didn't my old man ask Zul to do more research on those right after he got back from Cosmo Canyon?"

"Yes, he did."

"…I want records for every time it was used during the S-2 project," Argento said.

"Of course, just a moment…"

Argento paced impatiently as he waited for her, toying with a metal puzzle in his pocket, without result.

"The dates and subjects involved are shown on the screen," Shelke said. Argento nodded, looking up at it.

"…Number Four on all of these… wait… why doesn't that one from four years ago have any names?"

"…None were entered, sir. The machine simply recorded the time it was used."

"You would have to enter the name. If he was monitoring how it worked, he'd need all the data… unless…" Argento paused. Why wouldn't his father write the subjects down? "Shelke, I need video surveillance of that date."

"Of course… sir, it is encrypted data."

"Can you break it?"

"I believe so…" she paused for a moment, as though in concentration. "Done… the video will play shortly."

Argento watched the screen, looking at the room in the video, full of whirling machines. "Fast forward… this might take a while." An 'x3' icon appeared, and Argento waited until a figure walked into the room. Shelke returned the video to its normal speed without being asked. "Is that… that's Father," Argento muttered, watching the white haired man as he pulled a rolling bed towards the LFT machine. The thief was on the bed, eyes dim and glazed over. When the thief was secured the machine, Weiss walked away again. "Where's he… holy shit!"

"What is wrong, sir?"

"Pause! Pause it now!" he said frantically. The image stopped and Argento approached it, just to be sure. "…Nero?" he asked incredulously, staring at the black haired man being pulling into the room. "Shelke, that's my brother!"

"I can see that, sir. I remember him," she said.

"What the hell is my brother…" he paused, looking at the boy and his brother. "I need Zul's latest findings on the LFT units." A long document popped up on the screen, above the still frozen image. "Scan for anything of interest…"

"…Would you like a summery, sir?" Shelke asked after a moment. Argento gave an afirmitive nod. "The effects of the LFT unit seem to be more versatile than previously assumed. In addition to dampening free will and intelligence, they can be used to transfer knowledge, memories, and even personalities. Life force is the closest thing that can be scientifically measured as a soul, as an essence of a human being."

"However, it seems as though for souls to properly function, they must be complete. Life force is not simply a sum of its parts as indicated by table 1.3. Subjects with vastly different personalities, when life forces are swapped eventually show a complete change in personality, after the initial recovery period, in which they are unconscious as the new mental persona asserts itself. See figure 1.4. Memories seem to only appear on a subconscious level, but after some time, it is theorized that they too could be restored."

"…So… they basically swap bodies. Which means my brother's soul…"

"There is a strong probability that this thief possesses his memories and personality."

_You remind me a bit of my brother… I hate my brother._ Argento shook his head. No that wasn't right… Nero was dead. _Dead._ "That's why father wants him alive… So he can have his precious favorite back…" he murmured, staring at the screen. Why? Wasn't he good enough. Of course not, he never was. He'd never even been given the chance. "God damn it!" he yelled in frustration.

"Is everything okay, Commander Argento?" Shelke asked.

"No, everything isn't okay. It's all about Nero. It's always been all about him. What am I supposed to do now?"

"I am afraid I don't follow what you are trying to say."

"He… he just wants Nero back… I'm just a means to that end. What the hell do you think is going to happen to me if I'm successful?" Argento asked.

"Based on your family's previous interactions, you will be ignored, possibly demoted in favor of Nero," Shelke said.

"Even if I win, I lose…" Argento muttered. "That isn't _fair_."

* * *

><p>"Please… I just need something… help me think of something," Estu whispered, lying on the sofa in Ace's living room. "Please," he said, almost as a prayer. It probably would have been a prayer if he were remotely religious. "Just one thing to help..." He shut his eyes, trying to fall asleep.<p>

_Nero watched over a blue haired child. He was remarkably young, perhaps only five or six years old, but his eyes were those of an adult. There was a certain arrogant superiority there, and the spark of keen intelligence and awareness. He toyed with electrodes on a small moogle's head._

"_What the hell is it for, Zul?" Tine asked, leaning against a wall. _

"_Tine, don't curse in front of him, he's a child," Nero said, though he tapped his foot impatiently as he waited on whatever it was that Zul wanted to show them._

_"Quit calling me that," the younger brother muttered._

"_I think your father will be interested in this, Mr. Nero, sir," Zul said. "Argento is probably too stupid to understand its use."_

"_I'm not stupid!" Tine shouted, bristling at him._

"_Tine, calm down. What's it do, Zul?"_

"_Watch," he said, flipping a switch on a small device near him. The moogle immediately stiffened, standing up straight. "Now walk," Zul said, pressing a switch. "Now do a flip…"_

"_Oh, nice, you can make a mog dance," Tine said._

"_I can control it's every motion. See, the electrodes can convert Stratus waves generated by my machine into signals allowing me to make him do…" The moogle did another flip. "Whatever I want."_

"_Stratus waves?"_

"_A bit like radio waves, but at a slightly lower frequency. They travel best through higher altitudes, and can reach quite far away."_

"_Interesting… think you could use it on people?" Nero asked._

"_Maybe five, ten years from now…" Zul said excitedly._

"_Which is why you had to show us today," Tine said._

"_Well the human brain is a bit more complex than a moogle's, but I think I could make one that works on you within a year or two."_

_Argento dove at the boy in anger, but Nero caught him by the arm, tossing him back. "Knock it off, already."_

"_He keeps insulting me!"_

"_Just act your damn age!" _

_Argento turned, walking towards the door. "Forget you people… I'm out of here."_

"_Honestly, Nero, I'm not sure how you put up with him," Zul said, picking the mog up and putting it back into a cage._

"_He's my brother… and… he wasn't always this angry," Nero said quietly._

"_Hm… well I guess Project Status will have to wait until technology progresses a bit…"_

Estu opened his eyes, though it was still the middle of the night. Project Stratus… the helmets… how was that going to help him? He sat up suddenly, remembering that Kunsel and Cissnei were going to see if they could find a way to turn them off.

"Like radio waves… Like radio waves!" he said, getting an idea. He ran up the stairs to the bed room that Walter shared with Tony and another young man. "Walt!" he said, turning on the lights.

"What…?" a large young man grumbled sitting up. He stared at Estu, bleary eyed. "Who the hell are you? And what do you need with my brother?"

"Er… sorry. Walter?"

"M'up…" Walter muttered, sitting up.

"Hello there Estu, why did you decide to wake us up at this ungodly hour?" Tony asked.

"Shut up… I've heard way too much of that annoying-ass voice. Just get out," Walter's brother said.

Walter rolled his eyes, hopping out of bed and stepping out of the room, Tony following closely.

"Not you," Estu whispered nervously.

"Um, yes me. You still owe me, remember?"

"I don't owe anything," Estu said, walking back down the stairs.

"Actually you do. Remember all that stuff I told you about… well, you?" Estu frowned, but pretended not to hear Tony. "Besides that, I believe we already agreed that you owed me something for ruining my life."

"He helped get your radio career started. You're even," Walter said, annoyed.

"…Never thought about that, but that's pretty minor, all things considered. Anyway, don't take his side, Walt."

"And why not?" Walter asked as he reached the bottom of the stairs.

"Well… he's not exactly who you think he is, is he?" Tony asked.

"Don't care," Walter said.

"I mean he's not even a person."

"Sh- shut up. I am a person," Estu said lividly. "I am."

"Oh really? Because you aren't human."

"No… but… I'm more human than_ you'll _ever be."

"Really, because I'm pretty sure I'm not-"

"Shut up... both of you. And what are you two even talking about?" Walter asked. "…Never mind. It isn't really important. What did you need me for?"

"I need you to look at something over at Cid Highwind's house. …Please?"

"Oh… sure, I guess," Walter said.

"Bring all your radio stuff," Estu said, starting towards the front door.

"Wait… wait…" Tony said. "I wanna go."

"No!" Estu said.

"Can't stop me," Tony replied, walking out the front door.

_All right… it'll be okay_, Estu told himself. "Ready, Walt?"

"Just about… okay, got everything," he said, slinging a backpack over his shoulders.

"Great, let's go."

* * *

><p>It was Yuffie who answered the door at nearly 4 AM. Vincent had been fast asleep, the two parts of the Proto-materia held close to him. "Vince… Beanie-Boy came back," she called to him, stumbling back onto her spot on the large armchair.<p>

"…Beanie-Boy?" Tony asked.

"Shut up."

Vincent rose slowly, looking over at Estu. "…Why are you here? Didn't Cid make it clear you weren't welcome?"

Estu frowned. "You're still on my side, right?"

_Somewhat, yes... but.._. "I'm afraid I can't choose you over my friends… So what are you doing?"

"Well… I can't just let you people leave me. I need to talk to Mr. Highwind."

Vincent nodded, standing up. "I'll just get him then, though be warned, he isn't exactly… pleasant when woken up."

Estu nodded, slipping his hands into his pockets. Vincent climbed upstairs and knocked on Cid's door a few times.

"What?" he finally answered.

"Estu wishes to speak with you," Vincent said. Cid frowned, walking downstairs.

"Get Cloud an' Tifa up, then." Vincent reluctantly knocked on their door and asked them to come downstairs, not stating the reason. When he walked down, ahead of him, he looked at Estu, standing awkwardly, looking away from Cid.

"Well?" Cid asked.

"I really want to help you all. And I think I can really be of use to you," Estu said.

"That doesn't change what happened yesterday," Cid pointed out.

"…All that happened was I was forced to come clean. I'm the same person I was yesterday and the day before. Nothing else's changed."

"…Why's he back here?" Cloud asked warily. He'd just gotten downstairs.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell the truth, but I didn't have a choice. But… I have one more thing I need to tell you all," Estu said. "I know things about Deepground that no one else can."

"And why's that?" Cid asked.

"Because I have Nero the Sable's memories," he said, looking around the room. "Tons about them, their history, their weaknesses, all in my head. I can't get to it directly, but… it might still help you."

"Wait… how do you have someone else's memories?" Tifa asked. She seemed nearly as uncomfortable around Estu as Cloud was.

"No idea. But… I'll show you I can help. Those Stratus helmets use something that's almost a radio wave and converts it into signals in the brain. Zul invented them when he was only a kid."

A small, brown haired teenager suddenly looked over at the halfway deconstructed helmet on the kitchen table. "That why you brought me?" he asked.

"Walter, do you think you could figure some way to counter it?" Estu asked.

Walter grinned, "Yeah maybe…" he said, walking over.

"Don't touch… you think you can stop the signal or something?" Cid asked.

"Maybe… I'll have to look at it," Walter said.

"Huh…" Cid said. "Well…"

"Cid, he… I'm not sure we should trust him," Tifa pointed out.

"Please?" Estu asked her. "I know I've barely ever even spoken to you, but… You didn't hate me before now, did you?"

"What did you even do?" Walter asked curioiusly.

"I told you," Tony said. "He isn't human."

"But what does that…" he trailed off as Estu removed his hat, giving him a good look. "Oh."

"Yeah. I've kept secrets from all of you but… look. I'm not hiding anything now," he said, holding his arms out.

"But you were before…"

"For good reason," Vincent said.

"No, not for good reason!" Cid said.

"Would you have reacted differently if he simply told you?" Vincent asked.

"…No," Cid admitted.

"If I could've been someone else, that would've been great… but… I can't change what I am," Estu said. "Even as much as I hate it, I can't change it. All I ask is that you let me help you, otherwise I'm going to be haunted by Weiss all my life. That's all I ask. Keep me under guard, lock me in rooms, I don't really care about my freedom, just please let me help."

"…I still can't trust you. I'm sorry," Cid said. Estu looked down, disappointed. "But… I didn't much trust the little ninja over there or the cat robot either… or this guy," he said, gesturing towards Vincent. "They still proved, all the #$%^ing time, that we couldn't've saved the world without 'em. If you really want to help… welcome back aboard."

"Really?" Estu asked.

"Cid, no… he's…"

"I know, Cloud. He also isn't nearly as tough. Something happens, any one of us could easily take him down."

Estu didn't seem too keen on the idea of being 'taken down', but nodded.

"I want someone keeping an eye on you, though," Cid said. "Starting now. And since you're the one who keeps sticking up for the kid," he said turning to Vincent.

"You're putting me on guard duty?" Vincent asked.

"Yeah. Have fun," Cid said, walking back upstairs. Cloud looked between him and Estu incredulously for a moment, before walking upstairs as well. Tifa did the same.

Vincent turned to Estu. "Well… it isn't exactly what you wanted, but maybe you'll get a chance now."

"Yeah, maybe," Estu said.

"Well that was fascinating," a voice near the back of the room said. Vincent turned to see the boy who had previously been ignored standing back there. "This will make quite the story tomorrow, eh Walt?"

"Nope," Walter said.

"…What do you mean 'nope?'"

"You want to tell everyone about him, do it yourself. Estu hasn't done a thing to you, just leave him alone."

"…Since when did you have a backbone?" Tony asked.

"I have a backbone!" Walter said.

"Yeah, since when?"

"Well… now," Walter said. "Anyway, I'm goin' back home for a bit. I'll work on the helmet in the morning. …See you, Estu. Keep in touch, all right?"

"S- Sure," Estu said, surprised.

"But… Walt…" Tony said. "Hey, wait up!" he called, running out the door, after his friend.

"Thanks again," Estu said after they were gone.

"You did most of that yourself," Vincent pointed out. "…And I guess you'll be forced to stay around me a lot now."

"Well, that's alright."

"And since I'm around Yuffie a lot…"

"Crap," Estu muttered, crossing his arms and looking over at her, snoring, and fast asleep. Vincent knew for a fact that she annoyed him. "Oh well… it's still good to be back… even if I'm less than welcome."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: This was another one that was really Estu-centric. I really try to balance everything, but it doesn't always work. But the rest of the chapters should probably be more evenly split between them.**


	41. Chapter 41

**A/N: So sorry this took this long. I've been really busy with real life.**

* * *

><p>It seemed as though most people working with AVALANCHE were surprised to see Estu again. He had worried that many of them would be openly hostile, the way Cloud had been at first, but instead they watched cautiously, avoiding him. Some of the militia members, Ami of course, Kunsel, also Al, oddly enough, seemed glad to see him, but they were few in number. Estu had stepped outside for a moment with Vincent when he saw Justin.<p>

Estu gave a slight wave to Justin. He might as well get used to the young man now, since Ami would apparently be spending more time with him. Justin simply frowned, ducked his head and walked away. Estu put his hand down, looking wistfully at the groups of people, speaking easily with each other, only twenty yards from where he stood, outcast and ostracized. .

"…I feel like a leper."

"You're far too young to remember leprosy," Vincent pointed out.

"Well… I remember the Geostigma plague. That was sort of the same," Estu said.

"Hm… Perhaps I should mention that comparison to Denzel and Cloud… though they may just become angry with you rather than sympathize."

"Wouldn't surprise me…" Estu sulked. He walked back inside to check on Walter's progress, ignoring the looks he got from people passing by. "Well, I was never a people person anyway. Don't want to talk to any of these guys… I just wish they'd stop staring."

"Hm."

Walter looked over the parts of the helmet, gloves on his hands, a pair of glasses tied to his face as the leaned over the parts of the machine, in deep concentration. Both Tony and Ace had accompanied him, though Estu guessed that Ace wouldn't be able to stay long with the shop opening in less than two hours. "Any luck?" Estu asked.

"Little bit, but-"

"You aren't going to be able to do anything Walt, just help me with the Zöld stuff," Tony complained, looking bored. He sat, holding his cheeks up with his hands, making his face somewhat squashed.

"Just do it yourself, I'm busy," Walter said.

"But _Walt_, you're neglecting your duties as a hero of Junon. Don't you remember we-"

"Knock it off," Ace muttered, tapping his cane on the ground. "Just keep working on that, Walter."

"C'mon, Walt, are you really making your uncle tell you what to do?" Tony asked.

"You're telling me what to do now," Walter said, frowning.

Tony spoke quickly, "Yeah, but he's trying to keep you from your full potential, just think about how this-" Ace rolled his eyes, smacking him with the cane. "Ow! That _hurt_!"

"It was supposed to," Ace said. Tony opened his mouth in indignation, but for once had nothing to say to him, instead turning to Estu.

"So you're still all right to go? They're actually letting you?"

"You were there last night," Estu said, walking away from him to a more secluded corner of the living room. Tony followed behind him.

"Yeah, but I mean surely they realize how messed up the situation is, fighting alongside the shadow of their worst enemy, the product of failed experimentation, the-"

"Shut up," Estu said.

Tony smiled slightly. "It sort of explains why my uncle got so creeped out by you back in Junon. Out of curiosity, how many people have that reaction to you? I've got a theory that it's an innate response, a defense mechanism against monstrous-"

"Why do you hate me?" Estu asked, cutting him off.

Tony laughed. "Hate you? Honestly I don't, you're just really fun to screw with," he said.

"…Seriously? Are you really that evil?"

"Please don't tell me you believe in such childish concepts as good and evil. Sephiroth was a genius, I thought you'd be a little more intelligent," Tony scoffed.

"Believing that there's a difference between good and evil doesn't make you stupid."

"Yeah it does. Really, the only things in the world are power and pleasure. Money, status, sex, possessions, fun, everything boils down to those two things."

"And I guess that's all you want out of life?" Estu asked.

"You act like there's something more."

Estu frowned. "There is. I'm sure of it."

"So what, you think morals and humanity are above what I value? Bit arrogant of you, don't you think?" Tony asked. Estu ignored him, still trying to walk away. "In truth, all morals are are rules that society forces on us. Outside of a social setting, they're useless. People are stupid. All people are. I could easily convince anyone that I'm a more moral and human individual than you are. Want a demonstration?"

"No."

Tony ignored him, walking up to Cid, who strolled into the room, getting everything ready for the flight. "Excuse me, but… Mr. Highwind?" Tony asked, speaking a bit less rapidly than he normally did. Cid looked down at him. Tony flashed a quick smile. "Hi, I don't think I got a chance to really introduce myself. Anthony Isaiah Hopkins, also known as Zöld," he said, holding his hand out.

"Zöld? Well, nice to meetcha, helped us a lot with the broadcasts," Cid said, quickly shaking his hand.

"Ah, well you know. I just wanted to help out however I could. I hope it was enough," he said with pitch perfect modesty.

"Hell, yeah. Saved our asses at Cosmo Canyon."

"I'm glad," Tony said as Cid walked away. He turned to Estu once he was gone. "So out of curiosity, who do you think he thinks is more evil?"

Estu looked down, already knowing the answer to that. How was winning people over so easy for Tony? He would give almost anything for that skill. Estu looked over at Vincent, who stood in a corner in the shadows, watching passively. Maybe if he walked over to him, Tony would leave him alone. But at the same time, he didn't want to hide behind Vincent. He wasn't that weak. At least, he didn't want to be. So he sat down on the couch in the living room, crossed his arms, and made his best effort to ignore him.

* * *

><p>Vincent watched as Tony eventually grew bored bothering Estu. He wondered if he should have done something, but supposed it didn't really matter. As the time slowly ticked by, he watched the proceedings. About an hour before they were scheduled to leave, Yuffie tapped his shoulder.<p>

"Hey, Cid wants you briefed before we go, told me to watch Beanie-Boy," she said.

"Well, all right," he said, walking towards the back of the house, passing by Estu. In the corner of his eye, he saw Yuffie jump onto the couch next to the boy.

"Not you!" he protested. "Vincent!" Yuffie laughed a bit as Estu shot him a look of betrayal. Vincent shook his head at the two and their theatrics.

"Yuffie said you wanted to speak with me," Vincent said, stepping outside.

Cid nodded, wiping slick black grease from his fingertips. "Fate's Crossin's about three hours from here at full speed. It's this series of old tunnels, full o' natural materia deposits. Least it used to be. Pretty barren now. But I'm sending you in with Cloud, Tifa, Yuffie… and I guess the kid's gonna stick by you, too." Cloud, who was passing by, looked annoyed by that.

"Why can't he stay on the ship again?" Cloud asked.

"More of a liability."

"You two don't really hate him that much, do you?" Vincent asked.

"Don't hate 'im. Just don't trust him. Like I said last night," Cid said. "Don't start with me, with all he kept quiet about… well I have reasons."

"If you say so," Vincent said as Cid walked away.

Cloud looked on, features blank. "It's weird… him being in charge of everything… him and Tifa," Cloud mused.

"I suppose so, but it's what we've gotten used to. So you decided to allow him to continue to serve as the group's leader?"

"Have to. I just got here. Don't really know what's going on," Cloud said. "…So is this what it was like for you? You just wake up and the world's gone to shit?"

"Multiply your case by around a hundred and twenty, and yeah, that's about what it was like," Vincent said.

"Heh… Man. Didn't think I'd ever be put in this kinda situation… but I swear, if I see who ever planted those bombs… do you know who did?"

"I'm afraid not."

Cloud frowned. "I'll just make them all pay then… after what they made all of you go through… taking them down is the least I can do to make up for lost time."

* * *

><p>Estu crossed his arms in annoyance. He didn't like Yuffie. At all. And Vincent knew it.<p>

"So… how come you're still wearing the hat?" Yuffie asked, messing with it. Estu swatted her hand away irritably. "Hey, c'mon. Don't get mad at me!"

"Well stop making fun of me then."

"I wasn't. I just wanna know what's with the hat. I mean, your cover is kinda blown already," she said.

"I know, but... I just like wearing it, all right?" She tilted her head slightly. "...I don't like the way I look. The hat's a slight improvement. So I wear it."

"Hm... So if you don't like the way you look, how come you don't just dye your hair or something?" she asked.

"Huh..." Estu said, looking up at her briefly. "Never really thought of that."

She laughed. "Really? That never occurred to you? Probably would have saved you some grief. It's harder to see the resemblance without the hair."

"Well... Maybe I'll do that after this is all said and done." He stood, looking over at the door. "It's about time to leave. Can I go say goodbye to Walter and Ace?"

"Yeah, sure," she said, hoping up.

They walked back to the dining room area, Walter still at work. Ace glanced at Estu. "You setting off again?"

"Yeah... Um, listen, I just... I wanted to thank you-"

"No need, kid... I'm actually glad you showed up. Really... After what happened... I always felt like... I wish I could have done something, but..." he paused, taking a breath,then offering a half smile. "With you... It feels like I'm taking to him again. Like in some way, a bit of him's all right. Thanks for that."

Estu wasn't sure what to say, but nodded. At least he could help someone, even if it was unintentional. He said a few last goodbyes to the two before walking with Yuffie back to the airship.

"Uck... Flying," they muttered similtaniously. After a moment, each glanced at the other and laughed.

As the ship took off again, it occurred to Estu that Yuffie wasn't too annoying, at least in small doses. Still, he was glad when Kunsel, Cissnei, and Ami were put in charge of guarding him and she ran off to hang out with Vincent.

* * *

><p>As they exited the airship, Vincent and Estu hung back a bit, following the group forward. Vincent decided it was probably best, with Cloud at the lead… it would put some much needed distance between him and Estu. The entrance of the cavern was wide and stalactites reached down from the ceiling, making it look like the maw of a monster.<p>

"All right, let's get this done," Cloud said, clicking his flashlight on. A colony of bats few out of the cave as he waved the beam around.

"Ew! Gross!" Yuffie exclaimed, stepping back.

"They're just bats, Yuffie," Cloud said, walking into the cave. "They aren't going to hurt you."

"Yeah, you say that and then one swoops down and bites your neck!" Yuffie said.

"Quit being ridiculous."

"Actually, vampire bats are native to this region," Vincent said.

"You would know that," Yuffie said.

"So what's the word for cave exploration again?" Tifa asked.

"…Spelunking?" Vincent said.

Estu laughed, "Spelunking… ha…" Vincent gave him an odd look. "What? It's a funny word."

"It's an awesome word!" Yuffie agreed, grinning at it.

"It's just a word," Vincent said, not seeing what was so humorous.

"It is a pretty funny word, Vince," Tifa said.

"What, like 'dilly-dally shilly-shally?'" Cloud asked, smiling in spite of himself.

"Best advice I ever gave you," Tifa said.

Estu looked up at Vincent for an explanation, but he shook his head, apparently just as confused.

They walked down the dark tunnels of the cave until it became monotonous. Yuffie decided to liven things up by talking at great length about how naturally formed materia used to be common in these sorts of places until she, at the tender age of eleven stole most of it. It seemed like no one in the group believed a single word she said.

As they neared a split in the tunnels, Vincent froze, listening down one. "Cloud, we aren't alone in here," he whispered.

Cloud stopped, trying to listen in as well, though like Estu, his senses weren't quite as sharp as Vincent's. "Should we go towards them?" he asked.

"…Four different voices and there's five of us. Your call."

Cloud thought it over for a moment then led the way forward. "Let's see who this is."

Vincent frowned, a pit forming in his stomach. He had a good feeling of who they'd find lurking within the tunnels.

* * *

><p>The walked ahead, looking at the four figures in the cavernous room in front of them. Argento shined a beam of light down a passage way, holding the strap of a back pack slung over his shoulder. The blue haired young man Estu recognized from his last dream examined a map on a computer screen while Rosso held her gunblade aloft, first to notice them.<p>

"…It appears we have company," the fourth member said – a young looking girl with a nearly emotionless voice – Shelke, Estu presumed.

"Deepground," Cloud said, walking towards the quartet of people. Argento looked at him and stepped forward, drawing his twin blades.

"So… the famous Cloud Strife…" he said, as he looked over Cloud, then the rest of the group. "And… friends… well. Rosso, Shelke?" The two women behind them drew weapons, staring the group down. Zul, meanwhile stepped back a few paces.

"Three on five," Cloud grinned. "Sure you wanna do this?"

Argento didn't answer, instead attacking right away. Cloud easily countered the blow, just as Shelke struck at him too. Yuffie caught one of the energy sabers off her shuriken, deflecting the attack away from Cloud. Estu ran towards Argento, forcing the man to fight him with one sword and Cloud with the other. Vincent and Tifa were able to easily fight Rosso, who had trouble using her large weapon in such close quarters.

Things looked bad for Deepground. But just as AVALANCHE got ready to finish them off, a loud rumbling echoed through the cave. Zul looked up nervously. "…Topography is unstable. Everyone, stop fighting for a minute."

"Why?" Rosso asked, swinging again at Vincent.

"Stop that, you idiot!" Zul shouted.

Yuffie ran towards Rosso, kicking the back of her leg to cause her to stumble. Argento rolled his eyes at her and stepped away from the fight between the three of them.

"Stop! You're going to cause a cave i-"

As the rumbling increased, a ton of rocks fell from the roof of the cave, crashing down on Deepground and AVALANCHE . They ran around, avoiding them, though the dust obscured their vision and as the torches went out, they were plunged into pure darkness.

Estu couldn't see where he was going for a while. It took a moment to even see the slightly glowing pair of orange eyes near him. He turned, looking around, trying to find everyone else when a sudden crash of earth threw him backwards. That was when Argento noticed him.

"You," he almost hissed. He began to run at Estu when another few falling rocks threw him backwards. Estu took advantage of the opportunity to escape back to everyone else. But as he ran towards where he thought they'd be, he stared at the dimly lit wall of rock that blocked his way.

"No… Hello! Hello, can anyone hear me? !" he asked, looking around for a break in the rocks. There was none.

Argento stirred behind him, quickly realizing he was just as trapped and alone as Estu. "Shit! Azul! Shelke! Rosso!" he yelled, running over. "Guys! Hey! …Commanding officer, here! …Anyone?" He glared at Estu. "This all your fault," he said, pointing accusingly. The effect would have been more impressive if not for the green fluid slowly leaking down his wrist. "Oh #$%^…" Argento whispered, eyes widening.

"…Is that mako?"

"Oh no… it's broken! Shit! I'm going to die… shit… I'm gonna die in here!" Argento said, wearing something between a grim smile and a look of pure terror. He turned back to the wall of rocks. "Zul! Zul, get me out of here! AZUL!" he tried shouting again.

Estu pulled his knife from his pocket, lighting a fire on the blade to get a closer look. "A mako bracer?" he asked.

Argento drew his swords, deftly leaping back. "Don't you come near me. I've got enough fight left to-" he was cut short by a sudden coughing fit. It wasn't severe, but he seemed horrified as it stopped. "No, not now…"

"Are you okay?" Estu asked.

"What the hell do you care for?"

Estu looked around the cave, shining the light from his fire around. "We need to get out of this. Killing each other isn't going to do much good right now."

"Are you serious? You want to work together?"

"A short truce until we find everyone else?" Estu asked.

"With you? Hell no!" Argento said. "I don't need some… stupid… arg, with Nero's…" he coughed again, as he crouched and searched through the pockets of a backpack that had been crushed under a rock.

"Any more mako?" Estu asked.

Argento tossed a few broken syringes, eventually finding a single usable vial. "Shit… and it's only half full…"

"So you really don't have a choice but to work with me or stay out of my way. I know I can overpower you, especially when you're low on mako energy," Estu said. "So, what do you think? Truce?"

"…Deal. But I'm not happy about it," Argento said, standing.

"I'm sure," Estu said, leading the way through an older, twisted tunnel.

* * *

><p>It was a few minutes before the dust fully settled. Cloud had been knocked back with the fall. He reached his hand out, grasping Tifa's and giving a tentative squeeze.<p>

"I'm alright," she said, sitting up. "Are you okay, Cloud?"

"Yeah," he said, slowly getting to his feet. He looked at the two younger Deepground members, who had ended up near them. "…Shelke and Azul."

Zul looked at him, a bit of fear in his eyes, and turned to Shelke. "Go. Kill them. …Shelke?" The girl stood still, immobile, eyes scanning over Cloud and Tifa. "Shelke, kill them!"

"…No. That is not possible. I cannot match their combined strength. Or… their individual strength for that matter."

"You're an expert fighter!"

"Yes, but their physical strength exceeds my own, and these caverns are not conductive to my fighting style." She turned to Cloud. "It seems as though we are cut off from everyone one else. I see the two choices in this situation are to either attack and possibly die, or to ignore the two of you. I am going to choose the latter option, because I value my life. So, Mr. Azul and I will be on our way now."

"What makes you think I'll let you walk away?" Cloud asked.

"…Mr. Strife, as you can see, Shelke and I are children. You two consider yourselves 'heroes,' correct? Not exactly heroic to kill kids, is it?"

"You're still a part of Deepground."

"Yes… but unlike Argento and Rosso, we take no pleasure in killing. I was born into the program, and Shelke here has been a part of it since a young age. It's all we know. We don't have a choice-"

"There's always a choice!"

Zul frowned. "Well… perhaps. In that case, are you taking us prisoner, or killing us? I see you've already managed to convert Nero… such a pity, I always respected him."

"Nero… you mean Estu?" Tifa asked.

"Is that what he answers to now?" Shelke asked. "Mr. Azul, was that sort of behavior typical in your study?"

"Hm… dunno, didn't watch them long enough to document any renaming preferences."

_What are they talking about?_ Cloud shook his head. It didn't really matter. "All right, move ahead, you two," he ordered, holding his sword up.

"…Great, prisoners… fun," Zul said sarcastically.

"It is not fun, Mr. Azul," Shelke said.

He sighed. "How is it that I can't seem to teach you figures of speech?"

"Quit talking," Cloud said, marching them forward. Maybe one of the tunnels would lead back to the others somehow.

* * *

><p>Vincent didn't have time to get his bearings in the confusion of the cave in. Rosso continued to strike at him and Yuffie, completely ignoring the falling earth around them. He was able to duck around the strikes of the gunblade. Rosso, in frustration, spun around, slashing at Yuffie.<p>

The sudden strike caught her off guard, and her shuriken flew out of her grip. Rosso grinned, kicking at her, while dodging a furious slash of Vincent's gauntlet.

"Don't you dare!" Vincent said, drawing Cerberus. Rosso quickly turned, slashing with gunblade. Vincent blocked again, letting the metal clang off his gauntlet. Though the strike was powerful, he held the blade back. "Hn…"

Rosso grinned, firing at him. He felt three bullets catch his shoulder. He grimaced, but held the blade back, pulling his own gun up to take a shot.

In the blink of an eye, Rosso turned back to Yuffie and the bang of a gunshot echoed through the cave.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Cliffhangers... don't hate me for this.**

**...Also, it'll be about a week before I can get the next one up. Classes start this week so... ha. I'm really sorry this was such a bad place to leave the story, just happened that way.**


	42. Chapter 42

A gunshot rang through the cavern, echoing across the jagged stone walls. As the sound died away, Vincent's eyes widened as he watched Yuffie fall to the ground. It took a moment for the image to make sense. He looked over at Rosso's still smoking gunblade.

But… that couldn't be right… no…

He stood for a few seconds, frozen. "Yuffie?" he called out in disbelief.

Everything passed in slow motion. He walked towards her, slowly and with resistance, as if trying to run through water. Blood had already soaked through her shirt. An image of Aerith - head drooping, body only held up by the Masamune, red staining her pink dress - flashed through his mind.

"Yuffie?" he whispered. She didn't answer.

Vincent fell to his knees. This wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening. Yuffie… always so full of life…

No.

…_No!_

Behind him, Rosso laughed with a sadistic, manic joy. _No. Not Yuffie. No._ He couldn't move, couldn't think. It was only the second fire of bullets that snapped him out of the stupor. He felt one pierce his heart, but stood regardless, absolutely numb to the pain.

It just couldn't be really happening. Not to Yuffie.

Rosso raised an eyebrow as Vincent turned, glaring at her, flickers of yellow light dancing in his eyes. "You should be dead…" She shot again as he walked forward. Pure rage and hatred burned through him as the familiar dark energy swirled around him, his eyes already glowing with eerie golden light. He felt his form change, arms and legs lengthening, fur sprouting out of his skin, face distorting into a snout. The Galian Beast sprinted towards Rosso, Vincent's own pain and rage fueling its animalistic urge to kill.

Vincent was only marginally aware of what was going on. He could feel Galian's teeth and claws ripping and tearing through flesh, he could see flashes of red, he could hear a horrible, blood curdling scream, but he was, for the most part, oblivious to the battle. He mentally curled in on himself, trying to escape from the horrible idea…

The idea that Yuffie was dead.

It just couldn't be… She was too young, too optimistic, too energetic. But now, lying on the cave floor, blood soaking her clothes…

It was a while before Vincent even realized he had changed back. He looked down at his hands, stained crimson. With his enhanced hearing, he could hear the sickening drip of Rosso's blood onto the stone floor. He couldn't care less about his victory, though.

It couldn't be happening.

Not Yuffie. Not now, not after everything they'd been through. He turned to her, breathing ragged.

"Yuffie," he said quietly. "Yuffie, I'm so sorry…"

She was silent. Vincent's throat tightened as he looked away,unable to face her. "I'm sorry," he said again. _I should have done something. I wish... Please... Not her too._

"Yuffie…"

"…Vinnie?" came a very weak and very quiet reply.

He shot up, running to her. Her eyes looked up at him, but they seemed unfocused. She held onto the wound on her chest. Vincent breathed a sigh of relief, looking over it. "Missed your heart," he said.

"She's… a horrible…. shot," Yuffie said, offering a grim smile.

Vincent nodded, but knew she wasn't in the clear yet. "Restore materia," he muttered, looking at the orbs she kept in her shuriken. "Where is it?" he asked, unable to find any.

"Lent… it… to Cloud," she said weakly.

"No…" Without it, she wouldn't be able to go much longer. He dug through her items, finding a single potion. It wouldn't even be enough to stop the bleeding. He poured it over the wound anyway, just to save a bit of time. "Just hang in there," Vincent said, tearing strips of cloth away from his jacket.

"I got that… for your birthday… you jerk…"

"I'm sorry," he said, winding the strips around her chest and shoulder. "That should slow it down a little. Just hang in there."

"I… dunno… if I … can…"

"No, please… please. Stay with me," he said, picking her up.

"I…"

"Yuffie, please don't leave me. I'll get you out of here alive, I swear," he said. "Promise me you won't die, please."

But she made no promises.

* * *

><p>Thirty minutes of crawling through the narrow tunnels offered no rewards. Estu kept a slow pace, letting Argento keep up with him. The man was getting worse by the minute, struggling just to breathe.<p>

"…Argento, do you need a break?" he asked a bit awkwardly. Estu found himself rubbing the scar on his cheek as he spoke, and quickly moved his hand away, to the hilt of his sword.

"Don't. I'm fine. I'm not weak," Argento said, glaring and passing Estu.

"I didn't call you weak… You're just having some trouble-"

"I know!" Argento shouted. "Do you think I don't know? Just quit #$%^ing talking to me and help find a way out!" After the outburst, he paused for a moment to catch his breath. "Dammit… why'd I even do this? I've been getting worse lately…" Estu looked over at him.

"_Tine, you know you can't do this. I'm sorry, you're just too little...You're just too weak."_

"_I'm not weak…"_

"_You're brother's right…" a deeper voice says. "You'll never be able to match him."_

"No_, Father, I'm not weak!"_

"You have that half vial… maybe you should use it?" Estu asked.

"I'm saving it. I'll need it more later. Don't know how long we'll be here," Argento said, looking at the glowing vial.

"But… how much longer can you keep going?"

"…Another half hour, maybe. Then another hour or two after I inject the mako." He walked forward again. "Which is why I need to get out of here… so come on." Estu nodded, following, listening to Argento's labored breathing. "…Stop feeling sorry for me. I don't need your pity."

"I don't-"

"Yes. You do. Which I don't understand. You already knew I'm like this, Nero."

Estu blinked in surprise. "Nero? I'm not… I'm not Nero."

"Quit lying. Me and Shelke figured it out," Argento said. "…I'm sure you think this is hilarious, huh? Get to show me up… again."

"No, you don't understand, I'm not-"

"Yes, you are."

Estu grabbed at his sleeve, gritting his teeth in frustration. "Do I look like your damn brother to you?" he asked.

Argento looked over him once and shook his head. "Nah… look like that androgynous asshole he used to compete with."

Estu's jaw dropped. "Androgynous…? I don't look like a girl!" Argento laughed at him. "I don't!" Estu said.

"Well not so much without all the hair… and that ugly scar on your mug."

Estu self-consciously rubbed his cheek. "You're the one who gave me the scar."

"Heh… actually managed to beat you in a fight.. almost did, anyway," Argento said. Estu took a breath, continuing forward. "Yeah, sure… just keep going… jackass."

"Why do you still hate him? I mean… It's not like you have much to be jealous of now, right?" Estu asked.

"Heh… that's funny. Do you even realize how much worse things got for me after you bit the dust, Nero?"

"Stop calling me that. I'm not him."

"Oh yeah? You sure?"

"Yes, Tine, I'm sure."

Argento grinned triumphantly. "See there? 'Tine.' …Dammit, why do you still call me that? I haven't used the name in over a decade, Nero."

"Sorry… slipped out. …Stop calling me Nero, though."

"Whatever… Number Four?"

"I'm not a god damned number! I have a name, you know!" Estu yelled.

"…You do?" Argento asked.

"Of course I do!"

He seemed genuinely surprised at that. "…Really?" he asked. "I didn't know any of the S-2 clones had names. What is it?"

Estu felt his face redden. "Estu…"

"…You just call yourself S-2?"

"E- S- T- U."

Argento laughed again. "That has to be the stupidest name I've ever heard in my life."

"You have the stupidest name I've ever heard in my life!" Estu said.

"Argento Tsviet? I'm pretty sure it beats 'Estu.'"

"Well what about 'Tine,' then? Why'd he call you that?" Estu asked.

"None of your business," Argento said.

"All right, _Tine_, you don't have to tell me. I'm sure I'll remember on my own eventually."

Argento sighed. "It's short for my middle name, all right?"

"Which is?" Argento blushed and muttered something Estu couldn't make out. "Sorry, what?"

"Clementine."

"Ha! Your middle name's 'Clementine,' and you make fun of my name?" Estu asked.

"There's nothing wrong with… Arg. It's not that bad! Cut it out." Argento glared at Estu as he continued to smirk at the name. "#$%^ing bastard…" Argento muttered, walking forward.

* * *

><p>"This sucks," Zul said, annoyed.<p>

"Don't care," Cloud replied.

"But my feet hurt!"

"Still don't care."

"Why did Weiss send me on this ridiculous mission?" Zul complained, walking forward at sword point.

"He believed you could provide intel and use the scouting devices you crafted," Shelke pointed out.

"Scouting devices?" Tifa asked.

"They didn't work. Prototypes," Zul said. "Thought I could send them down the cave and cut exploration time by half, but the signals didn't stretch far enough and… uhg, why am I even explaining things to you people?"

"Because you typically talk too much," Shelke said.

"Thanks," Zul said.

"It was not intended as a compliment, I was simply stating an obser-"

"Yes. I know," Zul said irritably.

Cloud looked around the dark tunnel. It seemed to stretch on endlessly, but with the cave in, they had nowhere else to go. And he had no idea what he was going to do with the two Deepground kids in front of him when they did get out… if they did get out.

"Kinda reminds me of the mythril mine," Tifa said, looking around it.

"The one we went to after running away from the Zolem?" Cloud asked.

"Well, the second Zolem… since we made the mistake of trying to fight one," she laughed.

"Hey, I honestly thought I could take one big snake," Cloud said.

As they walked through the tunnel, she kept speaking to him, trying to decrease the monotony, or at least he thought that. It wasn't until he saw her face, illuminated by an old bit of crystallized mako overhead that he realized she was concerned about something.

"…Okay?" he asked.

"Yeah… you?"

"Why?" Tifa said nothing, but Cloud noticed her glance at Zul, who was still complaining to Shelke.

"I hate walking. I want to go back to Junon. I don't want to walk anymore."

"You have to, sir," Shelke replied.

"Shelke, I have an adult IQ of 197, I have patents on sixty-three technological marvels, I can hack any computer in the world… Geniuses like me shouldn't have to walk," he said.

"…You're Azul the Cerulean, Deepground's inventor guy," Cloud said suddenly.

"Right," the blue haired boy said. "Do you have a point?"

"You… you're the one who made the Stratus helmets," Cloud realized.

"Yes… and? …Ha, Oh, I get it… You're ticked because of the Stratus soldier thing, right?" His eyes widened slightly as Cloud's fists shook. "Oh… yes, you are… Um, no hard feelings, right?"

"No hard feelings? Why the hell would you think that?" Cloud asked.

"Well it's not like_ I'm_ the one who decided to make you our weapon. That was all Dr. Weiss. I just developed the technology," Zul said.

"So it was just as much your fault," Cloud said.

"In a way, but you aren't angry at whoever forged Sephiroth's sword, are you? I'm sure that caused a lot more damage than my inventions. It isn't as though I decided, 'oh hey, I'm bored. Let's go turn Cloud Strife into a puppet.'"

"I'm not a puppet!" Cloud said. The word still brought back painful memories.

"Did I say puppet?" Zul asked nervously. "I meant er… well… All right, I can't really think of a better term, but I didn't personally do anything to you, right?"

"This is why you should refrain from talking so much, Mr. Azul," Shelke said.

"Thanks."

"…You are welcome," she replied.

Zul still kept an eye back on Cloud. "You're lucky…" Cloud said quietly. "If you weren't so young…"

"Thank the gods for my age," Zul said under his breath.

* * *

><p>Yuffie head dropped slightly as Vincent carried her through the tunnels. "Stay with me," he whispered in her ear. She gave a weak nod, probably feeling the ill effects of blood loss. "I'll get you out of here, just… promise you won't die."<p>

"I… don't know…"

Vincent bit his lip. "Well, promise you won't die and I'll promise you anything, okay?"

"Hmm… go on a date… with me sometime?" she asked.

Vincent rolled his eyes. _Seriously, Yuffie?_ "Fine, just don't die… please."

"I'll… try…"

Vincent looked ahead of him, at the stretch of stone ahead. The hope of it leading anywhere soon was getting fainter and fainter.

"Vinnie… it's dark… I think I'm blind."

"No, the lights just went out," he said.

"Oh…"

He came to a split in the tunnels, looking down each briefly before choosing the left path. As he walked forward, he noticed a slight glow around him. "…Materia?" Yuffie asked, a wry smile on her face.

"Maybe… Maybe there's some left in here. Just hang in there," he said, walking more quickly towards the glow.

* * *

><p>Estu continued the walk down the tunnel in silence, using the small fire to see. He paused briefly at a door, blocking their path. "…Weird lock," he said, looking over a strange three piece mechanism.<p>

"It's a puzzle," Argento said. "Here, move." He roughly shoved Estu out of the way to take a better look at it. After just a few moments of manipulating the three pieces, they clicked together and the door opened.

"Wow… nice," Estu said.

"I'm smarter than they give me credit for," Argento replied. "I might not be a genius, but I'm not stupid either, just a little-"

"Impulsive?" Estu guessed.

"Huh… yeah, kinda," he said, walking through the doorway.

"My sister says I'm the same way," Estu said.

"…Sister?"

"Um… adopted. Her name's Ami," he explained.

"Oh… so you just replaced me and Father?" Argento asked.

"I'm not Nero…"

"You have his memories, don't you?"

"Yeah, but…" Estu stopped as Argento's knees suddenly buckled beneath him. His body shook for a moment as he struggled to breathe.

"Tine!"

"…Stop… calling… me … that," he said between gasps. He fumbled through his pockets, finding the syringe of mako and jabbing it into his arm. His breathing gradually evened and he sat down, back against the tunnel wall. "Need a minute…"

"Right," Estu said, sitting across from him.

"…Quit looking at me like that," he said, glaring at Estu.

"I didn't do anything!"

"Yeah, you had that damn smug look on your face again. Bet you think this is funny, don't you? Your little brother's still struggling on even though he's already such a damn failure." Estu decided not to argue that he wasn't the man's brother that time. His temper flared easily enough without much provocation. Argento looked down for a moment, apparently ashamed. "Well… I have a few successes, at least. Even though no one seems to see anything I actually accomplish anyway…"

"You know," Estu said. "You don't have to fight on their side… I mean… Deepground's been so cruel…"

"What's you point?" Argento asked.

"Well… maybe you'd feel better, more accomplished, by making people happy rather than-"

"Ha, I'm sorry, are you suggesting I go about spreading chocobo chicks and rainbows instead of fighting?"

"I'm not saying anything about chocobo chicks and rainbows. It's just... Me and you aren't that different. I'm just thinking about what makes me feel better about my situation. I'm doing this for myself, mostly, but... If I can help other people along the way..."

"Let me ask you something, 'Estu.' Why should I worry about making anyone else happy? Why should I worry about them getting hurt? No one was ever kind to me, no one cared about me, so why should I return the favor?"

Estu glanced away. Not too long ago, he would have agreed with him. Why bother when he wouldn't get anything in return? Not too long ago, he had trouble empathizing with anyone. His attempts to help the world wouldn't have held any meaning or comfort for him back then. Argento, as though sensing what he was thinking, continued,"Do they care about you? They don't, do they?"

"A... few of them do," Estu said.

"Hmmph... Well, at least you have that. I've never had anyone who cared about me."

"Nero cared about you," Estu said.

"No you didn't!" Argento shouted. "You never did, Nero."

"I'm still not your brother," Estu said uncomfortably. "Anyway, how do you justify hating him, after everything he did for you?"

"Ha, that's rich. You know what he did for me? He betrayed me. He set me up so I had just a tiny glint of hope, then took it all away, had them poison me so I'd die slowly… That's all Nero did for me. That's all he ever did."

Estu shook his head. "That isn't true; he really thought what they were going to do would help you. He was trying to save your life."

"Yeah right. Father said himself, he only did what Nero asked him to. Of course he'd always listen to precious Nero… If he hadn't told father to-"

"Then you'd be dead already anyway," Estu said.

Argento blinked in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"You didn't…know?" Estu paused, looking at Argento's eyes. They were a slightly less harsh orange now, closer to their natural shade of light brown, watching him inquisitively. "The doctors that worked with your father told Nero you probably wouldn't live past twenty… he got scared… he didn't want you to die," Estu explained.

"…No, you're lying."

"I'm not… why'd you think he did what he did?"

Argento frowned. "I don't know! He was a son of a bitch. He…he wanted the spotlight?"

"He already had that," Estu said.

Argento stood, brushing himself off. "I still don't believe you. No matter what you say, at least a little part of you is him… and I don't trust a word he says." Without another word, Argento led the way forward again.

_I'm telling the truth. He tried to help you. _Estu held his head as he followed Argento. It hurt… probably from stress, he assumed. _Why don't you believe me?_

* * *

><p>Cloud grit his teeth. The idea that the person responsible for his months long disappearance was standing right there… but he couldn't do a thing and keep a clear conscience. It was ridiculous. Tifa seemed to sense his unease, holding the hand not gripping the large sword that he'd been found with. It didn't help much though.<p>

Zul paused for a moment, making Cloud jerk the sword back to avoid impaling the boy. "Move it, kid," he said angrily.

Zul turned, raising an eyebrow. "…_Kid?_ I don't even know the last time someone called me that. Interesting."

"Why'd you stop?" Tifa asked.

"Well," Zul pointed at some scraps of metal, resting against the wall of the tunnel, a few paces forward. "As you can see, one of my scouting machines was destroyed right here. Not a lost signal, but destroyed. There's a pretty good chance that there's a booby trap somewhere."

"Why's there a trap?"

"I assume whoever put the Proto-materia here set it up… what was her name, Shelke?"

"Lucrecia Crescent," Shelke answered.

"Right… so Ms. Crescent probably wanted to protect the rest of the world from the shard… or the shard from the world… either way." Zul walked over to the scrap, gingerly picking it up. "You poor thing… sorry about this," he said, throwing it forward. A large blade swung down on it, cutting the machine clean in half. Cloud couldn't help but wince at the idea of what would have happened had they kept going.

"That appears as though it would be painful if it happened to a person," Shelke said, apparently thinking along the same lines.

"Really?" Zul asked, looking for the mechanism of the trap.

"Yes. It would likely cause a severe inju-"

"He's being sarcastic," Cloud said, annoyed.

"Oh," Shelke said. "I do apologize."

"Don't apologize to the enemy," Zul said.

"Of course, I apologize, sir."

"You don't have to listen to him, Shelke. You're probably just as important as he is," Tifa pointed out.

"That is true… the apology is retracted," Shelke said.

"I'm a rank above you, Shelke. Give the apology back."

"Yes… that is right as well. I apolo-"

"Knock it off already," Cloud said, holding his head. Ever since he'd woken up, he'd been getting severe headaches, and these two weren't helping at all.

"Right…" Zul said, looking up. "Well, I'll try to disable it then, but it'll take a few minutes." Cloud nodded, sitting down, still holding his head.

_I'm telling the truth. He tried to help you. _

_…? _

_Why don't you believe me?_

_Believe what?_

_What!? Who is that!?_

…_Am I imagining this? _Cloud shook his head, trying to get rid of the weird feeling. _I'm not insane. I'm not hearing things. I'm not a puppet._

…_Cloud? Can you hear me or something? No, that's stupid… He wouldn't be able to-_

_Oh, so you _can_ get inside my head! That's just great! I told everyone you were-_

_Whoa, hang on! I'm just as confused as you!_

_Yeah right! You're the one with all the weird Jenova abilities._

_I didn't choose to be this way! Anyway, if you can even hear me, it's because you're weird, too. _Cloud felt what was probably the mental equivalent of a glare. _But where are you? Is everyone okay?_

_I don't know, I'm with Tifa, Shelke, and Zul._

_But Vincent and Yuffie…? Oh gods… they're with Rosso, aren't they? She's completely insane. She-_

Cloud rolled his eyes. _I think Vincent can handle it._

_Oh… yeah, you're right. He'll be fine. But if we're able to speak, does that mean we're close by?_

_I don't know how it works!_

_Sorry! I just assumed… I mean… I don't know how it works either!_

_Well... Maybe you're close, maybe not. I don't really care, just get out of my head already._

_Are you sure _you_ aren't in _mine_? _

Cloud forced himself to take a breath, though the implication that he was the one more like Sephiroth infuriated him. _Yeah, pretty sure.__ Look, just... Focus on finding your way out. If we get closer, it'll probably affect the connection._

_So we're playing mental Marco Polo?_

Who thought of that crap? _ Something like that... But seriously, get out of my head. Now._

_Right... Sorry._

He felt the pain in his head disappear nearly instantly. Cloud stared forward wondering what implications this persisting connection between himself and his worst enemy meant. So... he was still haunted by Sephiroth's after image, still had the link between their minds...

'_I will never... be a memory._'

Apparently, he hadn't been lying.

* * *

><p>Vincent looked down at a pool of mako, or rather, at the perfectly crystallized orb that sat at the bottom. He gently set Yuffie down, sparing her a quick glance. She was deathly pale, almost as unhealthy as he looked. <em>Please...just hang on.<em> Vincent stepped towards the pool, holding out his left hand.

Mako was a dangerous substance for those who weren't often exposed to it. Even for people with higher tolerances, it could cause vivid hallucinations, confusion, catatonia, even death... Not that Vincent had to worry about dying.

He assumed that the gauntlet would protect him, limit the amount of skin that touched the glowing liquid. He wasn't entirely sure how much mako he could tolerate, and though he assumed he had a high tolerance, he couldn't afford to test that theory then. The smell of the planet's lifeblood sent a shiver down his spine. Some smells he couldn't separate from the fuzzy, painful, disjointed memories of Hojo's lab.

The talons of his claw clasped around the orb and he slowly lifted it, examining it. "Restore," he said, relieved. It was a virgin materia, and would only allow the lowest level Cure spell, but it would have to do. "Yuffie, I've got it. ...Yuffie?" Fear shooting through him, he checked her pulse... still there, but she was passed out.

Vincent quickly set the materia into his gun and cast Cure over Yuffie. He cast it again, and again, until his MP was gone. Mentally exhausted, he set his gun onto the ground and watched over Yuffie. He'd done all he could. The rest was up to her.

Vincent glanced at the hole in his coat where a bullet had caught his shoulder. How many times had he been shot? It didn't matter, he'd just get back up, keep moving. But what was the point of that when the protection from death only extended to him?

What was the point of living when everyone he ever knew or cared about could die in front of him? He felt so powerless against the nature of mortality.

After what felt like days to Vincent, Yuffie stirred slightly, then opened her eyes.

"You're alive," he said.

"Yeah... stupid Deepground bitch can't defeat me," Yuffie replied, grinning at her triumph over death. Vincent dug through her items, passing her a canteen of water and emergency food. She consumed both quickly.

"Tell me when you feel fit to move," Vincent said, looking down the tunnel. "We'll still have to find Cloud and the others."

"Right...Well, let's go, then!" Yuffie said, standing.

Vincent raised an eyebrow at her. Restore materia was powerful, he knew, but she couldn't be feeling as well as she pretended. "Are you sure?" he asked, though he already knew her answer.

"Yeah, C'mon, let's get going," she said, walkng down the tunnel. Vincent followed, watching her carefully for any signs of faltering. Still, he was relieved. For a while he'd worried... he couldn't lose someone like Yuffie. Couldn't even imagine what his life would be without her anymore.

* * *

><p>They came to a branch in the tunnels. Argento looked down the left one, calling out for the rest of Deepground, again without answer. "We're going this way," he said anyway, pointing. Estu shook his head. He felt a slight pull from the right, and knew that it was the force of Jenova cells.<p>

"Cloud's with Zul and Shelke. And we need to go right to get to them," he said, starting down the right branch.

"How do you know?"

"Just do. We're pretty close to them, I can tell."

Argento stuffed his hands into his pockets, looking forward through the cave. "You know I can't leave here empty handed," he said. "Soon as I get back to my team... everything goes back to normal."

"...Are you sure?" Estu asked.

"Yeah."

Estu looked down. "I... I just thought..." But what had he thought exactly? He briefly looked up at Argento, but couldn't help but see the child he'd once been, the Argento that Nero remembered. "You were a little kid once," he muttered.

"So was everyone. Point?"

"...Guess I didn't have one, but... Tine-"

"Don't call me that," Argento snapped.

"I'm sorry... But I was telling you the truth about Nero. He never stopped caring about you, even though you hated him... and... you were the last person he thought about before he... he wanted to apologize. He never stopped feeling guilty about what happened to you."

Argento didn't respond for a moment, looking ahead with a thousand yard stare. "We fought over that last mission. I wanted to do it instead of him," he said suddenly. "I wanted to be the one to go. He... took it... said it was too dangerous for me. I got so pissed at him, too... I would be fine as long as I could keep up a mako supply, and back then I could go a lot longer without it. But... he ended up getting the mission. Sometimes I wonder what would've happened if I did."

He paused, letting the sound of his echo die away. "It's funny. I don't even remember what the mission he was going on was about anymore... do you?" Estu shook his head. "Hmmph... well, I guess it doesn't matter. What's done is done. I think, even if things had been different, it wouldn't matter."

"I don't think that's true," Estu said.

"Why? Because you have a few memories of _poor little Tine_? I'm not the same person I was then. Haven't been for a long time. Anyway, you do remember that you're speaking to the guy who conquered Junon, Edge, the guy who killed Reeve Tuesti, right?"

Estu thought back to that day, when he'd been so cornered and defenseless, as he watched Argento stab Reeve with his wakizashi. "I remember, but..."

"And you know what? I liked it." Argento smiled wickedly as he continued. "I liked the feeling I got as I watched the lights leave his eyes. I liked the destruction of two cities. I liked the sound of Zul's bombs going off, destroying that street. And I liked the praise I got when I brought back that first shard you people stole from me. I will be the victorious son. I'm sure of that."

"Why?"

"...'Cause I... Why, what? Why am I so sure?" Argento asked. "I am the best in Deepground, that's why. ...At least, that's what I like telling myself."

They kept moving down the passage, time slowing to a near halt in the uncomfortable silence. _Cloud?_ Estu tried calling out. He felt a sudden opresive force, as though a thousand thoughts and whispers invaded his mind. He tried to ignore most of it, focus on the warior's thoughts.

_I hear you._ He didn't sound too happy about it.

_Think we're any closer?_

There was a silent moment, then the feeling of confirmation, accompanied by Cloud's simple answer of,_ Yeah_.

"We're almost there," Estu said out loud.

"Good," Argento replied, doubling his pace forward.

* * *

><p>"Hello?" Cloud called out. He listened down a path for two sets of feet, walking towards them. He could already sense it was Estu. As the boy neared him, he looked up briefly to acknowledge Cloud, before staring back at his feet.<p>

Argento aproached Shelke and Zul. "Are... you two all right?" he asked, looking each of them over.

Shelke nodded. "Both of us are unharmed, Commander Argento." The man seemed, for a moment, almost relieved. His features quickly became harsh and angry again, though.

"Hmmph. You two didn't even try to fight them off, did you? Working with them! Traitors!"

"We did not have much of a choice in the matter, sir."

"Anyway, you kinda worked with Ner- ...er... Estu?" Zul added. He looked over at Estu. "So... do you remember me at all, sir?" he asked.

"Um... I don't really..." Estu trailed off, looking away from him.

"He says he isn't Nero," Argento said.

"...Really? That's interesting. Excuse me, would you allow me an interview? I'd like to look into the psychological effects of the LFT units from back then vs. the current ones. I've theorized that-"

"All right, enough," Cloud said. He eyed Argento for a moment, raising his sword.

Argento made no move to draw his own swords. "I yield. If we fight now... you'd win," he said, embarassed.

"Sir, perhaps with the two of us?" Shelke said, reaching for her electric sabers.

"...Not this time, Shelke... Can't..."

"...Your bracer's broken," Zul said, looking at Argento's arm.

"Yeah, and do you think you could, oh I don't know... STOP BUILDING SUCH CHEAP, FRAGILE SHIT!?"

"It wasn't cheap!" Zul said, looking hurt. "Anyway... at least you keep backup mako on you." Argento looked away from him. "Oh... Mr. Strife. I have to ask that you allow us to leave, otherwise Argento will-"

"I'll be fine," Argento said stubbornly.

"You'll die."

"I don't give a damn. Anyway, there's no way out, Zul. Haven't seen one, anyway."

Cloud frowned at the statement. If they hadn't found any exits either, the only way was forward. "We'll just have to keep moving. Tifa, watch this Argento guy. Make sure he doesn't try anything.

"Trust me, Strife, If I could do anything about this, I would've already."

Cloud ignored him, leading the group into the depths of the cave, ignoring the weird sensation he picked up from Estu. He had moved towards the back, aparently just as eager to get away from Cloud. They moved through the tunnel for a while without any disturbances, then...

"Cloud," a low voice called from behind him. Cloud looked back at Vincent and Yuffie, walking towards the group at a slightly slower pace. He glanced at the blood stain on Yuffie's shirt before looking up at Vincent.

"What happened?"

"Shot... she lost a lot of... Cloud, what are they doing here?" Vincent asked, looking back at the other three members of Deepground.

"Well, they-"

"I'll speak for my guys, Strife," Argento said, glaring. Cloud met his gaze for a moment, but nodded. "First of all, where's Rosso? I assume she was with you." Vincent looked away from him. Argento paused, piecing it together. "...You said the ninja girl was shot... she... It was Rosso, wasn't it? You killed her."

"Yes."

Argento seemed surprised how straight forward Vincent was. "You... you killed Rosso? Rosso's really... gone?" He looked away from Vincent, back towards Shelke and Zul. "You two... are okay, at least."

Estu seemed puzzled at Argento's shock. "You two weren't close, were you?"

"Hell no, but... I've known her most of my life. It's just hard to believe... Actually, it's ridiculously hard to believe. I mean, look at you," he said pointing at Vincent. "You're practically a stick. There's no way you took Rosso down, even with the weird getting-back-up-after-I-stab-you-in-the-head-with-a-scalpel thing. No human could defeat Rosso when she wasn't holding back."

"...Well I wasn't exactly human at the time."

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Chaos?" Cloud asked.

Vincent shook his head. "Galian Beast."

"Hm."

"...Right then. So what exactly do you plan on doing with the remnants of my team?" Argento asked.

Cloud looked forward. "We still need the last shard piece. Let's get going." He walked forward, but paused at the sound of Argento trying to cover up a coughing fit.

"...Still dying over here," he eventually said, lips slightly upturned.

"He needs mako," Zul said.

"Tough," Cloud replied.

Argento drew his swords, looking around at them. "Fine then. I'd rather die in a battle though. If you're all going to kill me, let it be in a fight!" He lowered his arms as everyone ignored him, continuing forward. "...I'm being serious."

"Right."

"#$%^ it," he muttered, following the rest of the group.

* * *

><p>They group eventually came to a dead end. A large mako pool blocked their path, though an old wooden door was on the other side, leading into another room.<p>

"Looks too far to jump across," Cloud said, examining the mako pool. It was at least waist deep, and extended far out. "Vince, you think you can cross with me?"

"I can do it," Argento said. "I've got one of the highest tolerances for mako ever recorded... kinda necessary for me."

"He'll go back to full strength if he wades through it," Vincent said perceptively.

"All right then. Let me die. I'm sure I deserve that. Though if you really want to kill me, I suggest you get it over with." Vincent shrugged, drawing his gun.

"Hey, wait! He's practically defenseless!" Estu said, stepping in front of Argento.

"Estu, move. I'd rather not shoot you."

"...Vincent, please he-"

"Move it, kid. ...I'm dying already. It doesn't matter."

"What are you talking about? You'll be fine, there's mako right there," Estu said.

Argento looked away. "I've been getting worse over the last few years. Used to be able to go two, three days without mako. Now I'm lucky if I make it a couple of hours. I've looked into it. Every expert I've found says I have another few months, maybe a year or two at the very best. But... things aren't getting better between now and then. They'll always be the same, and there's not a damn thing I can do about that. Not with _you_ back in the picture." He looked up at Vincent, orange eyes flashing in the glow of the mako pool. "So shoot me already. You'll just be saving me a lot of pain and suffering."

"Don't you even care that you're dying?" Vincent asked.

"Of course. But... the only real hope I had was that Proto-materia. ...He wants it to make himself a god of some sort. He said he'd rule beside his son... but... I... I don't think he meant... me."

"...I'd rather give you a chance to make things right," Vincent said, lowering his gun.

"I'm not on your side!" Argento said.

"Sir, I believe he gave you permission to cross the mako pool," Shelke said.

"...Fine then," he said, walking through the pool. When he reached the other side, he pryed the wooden door out and set it to float accross the pool. "Raft. There."

They took turns crossing, staying out of the mako. When they'd all reached the other side, Vincent looked over at Argento, shaking the excess mako off his boots. "Thank you."

Argento looked somewhat surprised. "...I'm still not on your side. I wouldn't be so trusting if I were you."

"I don't really trust anyone," Vincent said, walking on. "But... perhaps some deserve a second chance, the benefit of the doubt."

"Oh yeah? I still think you're an idiot for letting me live... twice now."

"For now," Vincent said, walking towards what looked to be the center of the cave. He looked up at the domed ceiling, at the bit of light that shined through an opening in the roof of the cavern. "An exit," he said to Cloud.

"Yeah... finally."

Vincent walked towards the center of the room, to a large chest, half buried under rocks. An old, yellowing note had been written, in flowing, neat handwriting. "Please do not open this. Some things are better, left to slumber," he read out loud. He recognized the handwriting as Lucrecia's. "Cloud, it's here."

Cloud walked over, peering at the chest over Vincent's shoulder. "The last one..." Vincent nodded, opening the chest, slowly.

It was completely empty.

"...It isn't here?" Vincent asked.

"No, it was! That's what the assistant guy told us!" Argento said.

"Lucrecia told me... well she mentioned this place at least, in between apologies."

"Apologies for what?" Argento asked.

Estu shook his head at him. "Long story."

Argento looked between the chest and Vincent for a moment, something sparking in his eyes. "You'll just have to keep looking. Zul, call in our helicopter. They can lower a ladder through the top."

"I'll get right on that," Zul said.

Argento paced, looking away from the group. "So, you knew her, right?"

"Yes," Vincent answered warily.

"...Hm. So, Cloud, I hope you'll allow your prisoners of war a bit of forgiveness..."

"After everything you've done? I'm not so sure," Cloud said.

"I see. Well... that's unfortunate. Maybe I'd have given up then," he paused as a ladder rolled down. "Vincent, I'd like to thank you for thinking I deserve a chance... but-" In a flash, he ran forward, slicing across Vincent's chest with both swords, making a large x-shaped cut. Cloud and the others tried to run at him, but Shelke quickly moved around the room, nimbly avoiding their attacks while hurting them. Argento plunged his hand into the cut, pulling out a single, crystiline shard.

"What?" Vincent managed to gasp, as he tried to stand in fight. The second Argento pulled the shard away, a cacophony of voices echoed through his mind, Chaos, Hellmasker, Galian, Death Gigas, all their thoughts echoed across, louder than what he'd ever heard. He fell from the sheer pain an confusion of it.

"Sorry about that," Argento said as he helped Shelke fight off Tifa and Cloud. Yuffie had tried to help them, but was still weak from blood loss. Argento struggled against Cloud's attacks, and looked over at Zul. "Pulse. Now." Zul nodded, drawing out a strange device. As he pressed a button, Cloud suddenly fell, holding onto his head. Tifa ran to him, for a moment, afraid for him, but quickly continued to struggle in her fight against both Argento and Shelke at once.

Estu ran at them, trying to help Tifa. Argento blocked his attack. "...You won't kill me," he said suddenly. "At least... you wouldn't kill 'Tine.'"

Estu froze for a moment, just long enough for Shelke to zap him with her electric saber. He fell, twitching to the ground.

Tifa stood alone against the two of them, though she quickly realized that Argento was trying to get to Yuffie even as she and Shelke fought. "No!" she called out, running to defend Yuffie, but she too got a shock from the saber.

Argento walked towards Yuffie, looking down at her. "You know... It's a pity you had to piss Rosso off, otherwise she might still be alive... either way..." He reached down and took the other two shards of the materia from a pouch on her belt. He grinned as he united the three pieces, creating the whole materia. "...I win." He laughed, looking at the materia. "I actually win. Well, something like this is bound to win me father's favor, don't you think, Nero?"

"What about bringing him back?" Zul asked, looking at Estu.

"And have him ruin everything again? No thanks."

"Don't ... do this..." Estu said, looking at him. "Tine, please..."

"Don't call me that. I'm not him. I am Argento Tsviet, the destroyer of Edge, Conquerer of Junon, Killer of the WRO director, the victorious son... And, I hold the oldest and most powerful materia in my hands." Argento stepped onto the ladder, signalling for it to raise up. Vincent watched, nearly unconscious from the pain and horrible voices. The chopping of helicopter blades was the last sound he heard before he passed out.


	43. Chapter 43

Vincent held his head, only aware enough to hear the torrent of voices in his skull. Where was he? He had no idea.

"Vincent!"

He opened his eyes, looking up into another pair, wide and innocent green eyes. "Vincent, focus on my voice. Stay with us."

_Us?_ He blinked and the green eyes were replaced with Yuffie's dark eyes. "Come on, stay with us. Fight him."

_Fight…?_ Vincent lifted his right hand, or rather, claw. _Oh god…_

"Vincent, you're stronger than this. Keep control," he heard Aerith's voice in his ear. "You can get through anything, remember?"

An overpowering bloodlust, thoughts in a tongue neither he, nor any human could understand, images of blood and gore…

"Fight him! You can do it!"

Vincent inhaled, feeling himself change back. "All right, just keep it together," another voice said. Vincent looked up at Tifa, crouching near Cloud, who looked as though he was in nearly as bad shape as Vincent. "Yuffie, any luck contacting Cid?" Tifa asked.

"He'll be here in a bit," Yuffie said. Vincent blinked another few times, trying to clear his mind, block out the other four voices. It was as though Argento had broken a dam, and they now flooded his mind.

"What… just happened?" Cloud asked, sitting up.

Vincent wondered the same thing, feeling a tear in his shirt. The rush of images flooded his mind as he thought back to Argento's attack. He cluched his head in pain as his body convulsed. "Damn it! Vincent, focus!" His breathing heavy, he looked around to find Cloud, pinning his arms back. "…Come on. Just… keep yourself together." But how was he supposed to do that? How _could_ he without…

"I had the shard all along," Vincent said. Cloud watched him for a moment, apparently deciding whether he was in control enough, then released his arms. "It was with us the whole time…"

"How did that happen?" Tifa asked. "And… are you okay?" Vincent glanced down at his chest, where he'd been cut. The wound had healed nearly instantly, and if it had left a scar, it was indistinguishable from the others that lined his torso. On the surface, he was fine. It was the inside he was worried about.

"…Chaos. Lucrecia worked to learn about Chaos. She held a piece of the Proto-materia. Then… if it allowed control, even just partial control…"

"She… came back here and got it so you'd be able to handle Chaos?" Yuffie guessed.

"Possibly." He held his head, trying to think back to what little she'd told him of her work on Chaos, more than thirty years before. He was drawing blanks, far too distracted by the flood of thoughts pressing against his consciousness. "…I can't think."

Tifa bit her lip, looking up at the hole in the roof. "Cid will be here soon, just hang on… Vince!"

She may have said something after, but if so, Vincent couldn't hear her. Within the swirl of dark energy, he felt Chaos taking shape, taking control…

* * *

><p>Estu sat away from the others, back turned on them as they tried keeping Vincent grounded in reality. He'd never been good at encouraging words, and in truth, didn't feel it was his place to give any. Especially when he'd failed so utterly.<p>

He looked away, thinking over what he could have done differently. In the end, it boiled down to a single reaction. For just a moment, Argento had reminded him of the vulnerable child from his dreams and Estu had frozen. If he hadn't done that, they wouldn't be in the mess they were in. Even so, he couldn't find the energy to be angry with himself. The situation seemed far too hopeless for even that. So he sat, distractedly staring at the wall of the cavern.

It was only Tifa's sudden scream that grabbed his attention. He turned to see Vincent shifting between his form and Chaos's. Without hesitation, Estu grabbed his sword and ran towards the man.

"We can't fight him, can we?" Cloud asked Tifa, holding his own sword out to protect both of them.

"I don't think we have a choice," Tifa replied, raising her fists.

Yuffie took a few steps back, still weak from blood loss. She held out her shuriken, ready to throw it if Chaos got out of hand. The dark energy around the demon dissipated, and he smirked, bearing his pointed teeth as he examined his talons and opened his red, bat-like wings.

Estu's grip on his sword tightened as the demon looked over his four foes, his eerie golden eyes narrowed. _It'll be okay… I beat him down once before._ But then again, that had been a fluke. He'd had the limit break on his side and a hundred monsters had already worn the demon down. Estu looked at the others, standing with him. They could do it. He wasn't alone this time.

Chaos lashed out towards Yuffie, but Estu and Tifa both anticipated the attack, both moving to her aid. With three attacking the demon, he moved back, flapping his giant wings to lift himself off the ground. Cloud jumped high in the air and slashed at the wings, nearly severing one. Chaos plummeted down, but quickly stood back up, attacking with both his fearsome claws and the dark energy he commanded.

Estu ran through the tendrils of darkness, striking the demon with his sword. Cloud and Tifa were able to do the same while Yuffie kept her distance, attacking with her shuriken and magic. The four of them, working together, eventually wore the demon down and Vincent reappeared, unconscious, in the cavern.

"…Phew," Cloud said, looking back at the hole in the roof. "Oh… now he shows up."

A ladder was being lowered down, and Cid's voice shouted over a speaker. "_Hey, y'all climb back up! Just don't drop the Proto-materia, alright?"_

"Crap," Cloud muttered, turning to Yuffie. "Didn't tell him yet?"

"Um… well…" she said awkwardly.

Cloud sighed, looking at Vincent, still out cold. "Vince? Hey, Vince! …We're gonna have to carry him." Cloud pulled his left arm up over his shoulder. "Huh… Why's he so heavy? The guy never eats."

"Here, let me help," Tifa said, pulling his other arm up. Estu took a few paces back from them, trying to keep his distance from Cloud. He looked over at Yuffie, who didn't look nearly as upbeat as usual.

"…You think he'll be okay, Beanie?"

"I hope so," Estu said, not even bothering to protest the stupid nickname. He looked back at the cave as they climbed up the ladder. Why was it that whatever they did, it always seemed to end with disappointment and pain?

* * *

><p>Argento reclined in the helicopter, looking over the Proto-materia. He still couldn't believe he had it, after all that time. He glanced up at Shelke and Zul, who examined it with equal interest. Argento gave a slight grin. "Not a bad mission, overall, don't you think?"<p>

"…Rosso, sir," Shelke pointed out.

Argento looked away. "Right…her…" he muttered. He couldn't honestly say he'd miss Rosso, but it was unsettling to think she was gone. "Well, we've got this, at least."

Shelke nodded, looking away from him. "Sir? May I ask a question?"

"Sure. Go ahead."

Shelke hesitated. "Was the statement that you are…" She paused, as though trying to find the right words. Argento raised an eyebrow. She never took the time to think about what she was going to say. She always spoke in a straight forward manner. "Sir, are you really…"

"Argento, is it true that you're… going to die?" Zul asked for her.

"Everyone's going to die," Argento said impassively, avoiding the question.

"But… that was just a ploy to gain their pity, right?" Zul asked. "Um… right? Right, Arge? …Right?"

Argento sighed. "Have I ever wanted pity?" he asked.

Zul blinked in surprise. "No, but… surely you aren't really-"

"I wasn't lying, if that's what you're asking."

"But sir, there has to be something we can do," Shelke said, for once, actually looking… not concerned, exactly, Argento assumed that was outside her emotional range, but she did look as though she was feeling something. "Your father is a doctor, I am certain he could-"

"He can't… don't worry about it, alright?" Argento said.

"How can you say that!?" Zul asked. "And why didn't you tell us? Didn't you think either of us should know?"

"Why the hell do you care?" Argento asked. "You're the one who's always being an asshole to me."

"Yeah but… If you die, who have I got left? I mean… me and Shelke will be the only elites around," Zul said. Argento was surprised to see that he was actually upset. Zul was the one who tended to make fun of _him_ for letting his emotions dictate his actions. "I've known you my whole life!" he continued. "You and Nero were the closest people I ever had to a family or friends! You didn't think I deserved to know?"

Argento looked between him and Shelke. "Are you two seriously worried? Look, I've got the Proto-materia. Father will be able to use it. I told you, I won. I'll be immortal, a god…"

"And if that does not happen?" Shelke asked.

"What do you mean?"

"…Sir, your father hates you," she said bluntly.

Argento opened his mouth to protest that remark, but… it was more or less true, and he knew it. He was silent for a moment, looking out the window of the helicopter. "That'll change," he finally said. "I've got this, after all." He held up the Proto-materia, confidant that he was right.

* * *

><p>After the difficult task of getting Vincent onto the airship and explaining to everyone what had happened, Cid and Cloud debated what to do with the still unconscious man. "He… well, not he, but Chaos attacked us," Cloud told him.<p>

"Shit… now what?" Cid asked.

Cloud looked back at Vincent. In the years that they'd known each other, they'd never really spoken much. Vincent would tell Cloud things he found important, or would briefly ask him to deal with someone else in the party if he didn't feel like it, but neither of them were social by nature, so they rarely spoke for the sake of talking. None the less, he did understand Vincent… the pain of letting someone loved die… feeling responsible for the sad state of the world…

Cid picked up on Cloud's concern. "Can't let him hurt nobody. If that happened he'd kill himself… well he would if he _could_ actually kick the bucket, anyway."

"So what are we supposed to-" He was cut off when Vincent's clawed hand suddenly dug into his ankle. "Ack!" Cloud reached for his sword, but Cid was faster, stabbing directly through Vincent's arm with his spear. Vincent's eyes opened, briefly glowing yellow before fading back to red and closing again.

"Sorry, Vince," Cid said. He looked back at Cloud, sighing. "Great. He's been strugglin' just to keep that thing under control, now this?" Cid asked. Cloud said nothing, tapping his ankle with his sword, casing cure to seal the wound. Cid lit a cigarette as he thought. For a while, he watched over Vincent, lit tobacco hanging from his lip. "Shit… he ain't gonna be happy, but we'll have to keep him from hurtin' anyone…"

"What are you talking about?" Cloud asked worriedly.

"Ship's got a hospital room. Has… restraints, in case ya needed surgery but no anesthetic…"

"You're saying we should lock him up?" Cloud asked. "Cid… do you even know how messed up that is?" Thinking about what he would do if he woke up and found himself in that position… the only thing worse would be finding himself in a mako tank. Cloud was sure after everything Hojo had done to him, Vincent probably hated lab-like settings even more than he did.

"I know. I said he wouldn't like it, but what else can we do? He wakes up again and turns into Chaos-"

"…Isn't there anything else?" Cloud asked.

"I don't think …" He removed his spear from Vincent's arm and pulled him up. "Trust me, this will be better than letting him get out of control. Better on all of us."

Though it felt wrong, Cloud nodded, helping to drag Vincent to the infirmary room in question. It took a few minutes, getting the heavy metal clamps on his arms. Cloud tested one. As far as pure physical strength went, he had a slight edge on Vincent, at least when he wasn't transformed. He could tell that the metal would be able to hold.

"Sorry Vince," Cid said quietly. "…Shit, I feel like #$%^ing Hojo, lockin' him up."

Cloud clenched his fists at the name. "Yeah." He moved the door, trying to ignore the sickness in his stomach. "…I'm sorry, Vincent."

"You did what?" Yuffie asked, fifteen minutes later. "Cloud, you spiky-headed jerk, you know he's going to freak out when he wakes up!"

"I'm sorry. We just did what we needed to."

"…What's going on?" Estu asked, poking his head out of the room he was in, guarded by two militia members.

"Get back in there," Cid said. "This doesn't concern you-"

"Yeah it does! They freaking tied Vincent up!"

The boy looked taken aback. "You… what?" he glared at Cloud. "How can you not trust _me_ and then betray him like this?"

"I didn't betray him. You have no idea what you're talking about," Cloud said. "I just did what I had to."

"Oh, you had to! Right, so maybe we should do the same to you since you were Deepground's puppet."

"Don't call me a puppet," Cloud said angrily. Yuffie took a few steps away from him, knowing Estu had crossed a line he really shouldn't have.

"Well you were, weren't you? I mean with the helmet and the fighting-"

"Estu, stop that," a voice from the room said.

"Well if he's going to do this to Vincent he…" Estu paused, looking up at Cloud.

Cloud fought to keep himself from shuddering at those eyes. "What?" he asked.

Estu looked away. "Um… I… meant since you…" he trailed off.

"Do you think I like having to do this to him? Do you think I would if I had any other choice?" Cloud asked.

"I don't know. _Would_ you?" Estu asked.

"No," Cloud said firmly. Who was he to ask him that, anyway?

Estu frowned slightly. "…I'm not sure I believe you," he said quietly.

"Well it doesn't matter. I shouldn't have to explain myself to… to _you,_" Cloud said, turning away.

* * *

><p>"Why the hell would you say that to him?" Yuffie asked.<p>

"Say what?" Estu asked.

"Call him a puppet… I mean… jeez!"

"It wasn't that harsh," Estu said. "Anyway, he shouldn't be so sensitive. Just noticed he doesn't like the word."

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his sister roll her eyes. She'd been assigned, along with one of the militia men to guard him. The man stared awkwardly into a corner, obviously uncomfortable. "So you noticed, but called him one anyway?" Ami asked.

"…Yes?"

"Well, how would you feel if he called you Sephiroth? It's pretty much the same thing," she said.

"…Crap. I didn't even think…" he sighed. "I didn't mean for it to hurt… I mean, I meant for it to hurt him, but didn't… crap."

"You're an insensitive little jerk sometimes," Ami said, looking out the window.

"Thank you! I had no idea!" he said.

"Don't need to be so sarcastic," she said. Estu muttered a quick apology, tapping his fingers across the floor. "Anyway, can you try not to get yourself kicked off? We're on thin enough ice already."

"…It wasn't my fault they wanted me gone," Estu pointed out. "Anyway, he pissed me off. How could he do that to Vincent? I mean, they're supposed to be friends!"

Ami glanced at him and Yuffie. "Well… I mean, think about it, they might be doing this for _him_. I don't think he'd be too happy if… what exactly does he turn into anyway?"

"Usually a scary winged demon," Yuffie said. "And there's the wolf thing, the big and ugly one, and the hockey - mask- chainsaw -guy."

"…Weird. But, I mean, if he can't control them, shouldn't they play it safe? It's not nice but… it's rational."

"He still had no right," Estu said. "I mean, you think so, too, right, Yuffie?"

"Yeah, but you still shouldn't have called him that," she said.

"Seriously? I'm sure he calls me worse!"

"Just be careful, Beanie-Boy. He already doesn't like you." Yuffie walked towards the door. "Well, I'm going to keep an eye on Vinnie…"

"Cid told everyone to stay away from him until we get to Cosmo Canyon," Ami pointed out.

"Well, Cid can get over it… poor Vince. I mean… maybe if I'd just been a bit stronger, they wouldn't have the materia and he'd be okay…"

_But it wasn't your fault_. Estu nodded anyway, watching her close the door.

"…Are you okay? You usually aren't this moody," Ami said after Yuffie left.

Estu shook his head. "I'm just having a crap day, alright?"

"…I heard you guys came across Argento and them," she said. Estu sighed and nodded. "Did he… he do anything to you?"

Estu crossed his arms, looking away from her. "Well we got the stuffing beaten out of us."

"But that's not it, is it?"

Sometimes Estu thought she knew him far too well for his comfort. "No… that's not it," he admitted. "We got cut off from everyone else for a while, me and him. And… I thought for a little while… I thought I could change him somehow. Since he… Ami, am I stupid for thinking that?"

"Well he's basically an evil jerk," she pointed out.

"I know that, but he was… not mine, but… Nero's little brother. You don't understand, you never saw him. He was just… back then he was just so defenseless. And… I don't know why, but it's like some of what Nero felt carried over to me. God, I wish I knew _why_ I've got his memories in my head. But it feels almost like I'm two different people at the same time… me and him."

"Sounds confusing," Ami said. "But did they know why?"

Estu shrugged. "Well they kept calling me Nero. Argento got mad at me because apparently I was acting like him, or something like that. Zul called me 'sir.' I don't think anyone's ever called me 'sir' before. It was really weird. And he wanted an interview about the LFT…" He paused, thinking back to what Tony had told him. "…Maybe that's it."

"What's it?" Ami asked.

"Uh… nothing just… There were these things that they used me to test back before…" His voice caught again as he was reminded of what he was, ultimately – a failed experiment. _Don't think about that too much, Estu. It's fine. You're fine. _He clenched his fists and took a few breaths. "LFT units… that might be able to explain why."

"Really?" she asked.

"Yeah. I'll just have to ask Zöld… er… Tony, I mean. …Crap, I don't want to, though."

"How come? You guys met each other a few times right?" Ami asked.

"Yeah, but he's…" Estu shook his head. He'd just have to be brave… not let Tony screw with his head. "Never mind… I'll see him and Walter at Cosmo Canyon soon enough."

* * *

><p>Argento looked out to the Junon Central Skyscraper. "Good to be back," he decided as the helicopter touched down outside the skyscraper. He, along with Zul and Shelke, walked up to the front doors, entering like the champions they were… Argento did, anyway. Shelke kept as quiet as usual and Zul looked nearly dead on his feet.<p>

"Coffee?" Zul asked. One of the guards quickly fetched some for him. "Thanks. Mmm… coffee…" he murmured, taking a sip.

"I swear you're addicted to that stuff," Argento said, pushing the elevator button.

"Yes, I am," Zul agreed. "Sorry I can't maintain the same energy levels as you weird super humans."

"Sir, you were just as much a part of the Deepground enhancement project as we were," Shelke pointed out.

"I know. I'm still not a super human though… sort of a pity. I wouldn't mind it so much, having all the strength and endurance… must be nice." Zul looked up from his cup at the sound of the elevator doors opening. He stepped in before Argento or Shelke. "I'm actually heading to my office first. I have a few projects I'd like to check on."

"You just don't want to watch me hand over the Proto-materia," Argento said smugly.

"…Oh right, because everything I do is devoted to a petty rivalry. _Of course_ you would think that, Arge."

"Actually, sir, a large portion of your free time is devoted to your petty rivalry with the Commander," Shelke said. Zul blushed a bright red as Argento laughed at him. He stepped off the elevator, still annoyed. "He looks somewhat upset," Shelke observed.

"I love you so much right now, " Argento laughed.

"…I am sorry, but I am afraid I do not share the feeling of attraction towards you."

"Shelke, I was kidding…"

"Oh… That was a good joke, sir."

"Thanks," he said, shaking his head.

Argento stepped off the elevator, trying to look collected and professional, though in truth, he felt so happy… so excited. It was all he could do just to keep from grinning. "Sir," he said, announcing his presence to Weiss.

"…You're back," Weiss said, turning in his chair. "Well, were you successful in retrieving the shard?" He already sounded disappointed, as though he expected Argento to fail. _He probably did… Shut up!_

"Actually, Father, I was more than successful," he paused a moment before reaching into his pocket and showing off the whole Proto-materia. Weiss's eyes widened and his jaw dropped. "What do you think?" Argento asked.

"What do I think? This is… amazing! How did you-"

Argento allowed himself a smile. "Well, it wasn't exactly easy, but AVALANCHE showed, and I took their shards in addition to the one that I went for."

Weiss held up the Proto-materia, beyond ecstatic. "I can't believe you actually got all this and the Junon thief."

Argento's stomach dropped. "Well, actually, the thief… er… well he isn't with us."

Weiss stopped and stared at him. "You mean you allowed him to get away?"

"Well, no. I left him."

"You what?" Weiss asked, tone turning dangerous.

"Father, I did some research. I get why you wanted him, but he's really not worth your trouble. I mean, he's no Nero."

"…Do you have any idea what you're talking about?" Weiss asked.

"Course," Argento said. "Look, he's alive, but he isn't important. He says he isn't even Nero… has some of his memories apparently, but-"

"So Zul was right… I was right. It worked," Weiss said quietly.

"Father, you don't need him. I mean, you've already got one successful son, why need another?" Argento asked.

Weiss turned. "I believe that you're right on that account… I only need one son."

"Exactly! That's what I've been telling you all along, so-" the words died in Argento's throat as a knife whizzed towards him. He jerked his head to the side, but not before it sliced across his cheek. He held the cut, examining his own blood on his fingertips in horror. "…You… you just…"

Weiss held several knifes between his fingers. "It seems my aim has gone bad… No matter. Shelke, kill him."

"…What?" Argento asked in disbelief.

Shelke looked at Argento uncertainly. "Doctor… are you sure?"

"Don't question me, just do it," Weiss said.

"Father, what are you talking about!?" Argento shouted.

"Shelke, now."

Shelke lifted her weapon, staring Argento down for a moment. Argento looked at her icy cold eyes, then back at his father's. "I… I don't understand."

"I have no further use of you."

"I'm your son!"

"I don't see what that has to do with anything," he said coldly. "You've stalled enough, Shelke. Kill him."

"…No," she said firmly.

"Excuse me?"

"I spoke rather clearly, sir. I said no," she repeated.

"You're disobeying me?" Weiss asked.

Shelke, for a moment, seemed conflicted, but nodded. "I refuse to kill a commanding officer, sir."

Weiss glared at her, then snapped his fingers. Seemingly out of nowhere, the room flooded with Deepground soldiers. "I see… it's a pity having to kill you both."

"Argento, sir, draw your swords," Shelke said. He stared at her, still in a daze of disbelief. "Sir, now!"

He felt his body moving, but his mind was blank. He still couldn't understand the situation. He refused to belief it was happening. He felt another knife strike his rib-cage, a bullet graze his arm. He felt himself running, being pulled down stairs by a tiny hand firmly gripping his. "Shelke?" he asked, halfway convinced he was dreaming or hallucinating.

"Do not talk, sir, just hurry."

They ducked into Zul's office. He stared for a moment, interested. "Well, what are you two doing?"

"We are currently being chased. Please activate your defense systems now." If anyone else had said these words, Zul would have laughed at them. But he knew Shelke didn't joke around. Argento heard the sounds of metal sentrys outside the room springing to life.

"Should buy us time. Now what's going on?" Zul asked. Argento tried to speak, but it seemed like his voice was gone.

"Weiss ordered them to attack us. We need to get out of here," Shelke answered for him. She walked towards a window and broke it. "We need to go," she said, gripping Zul's and Argento's arms.

"Wait… Shelke, I don't understand. I-" Shelke ignored him, tossing them both out the window. Zul screamed in fear as they plummeted towards the ground. Shelke gripped his Arm in one hand, an electric saber in the other. Argento saw what she was doing and grabbed Zul's other arm as Shelke stabbed the building.

They fell slowly, scraping through the skyscraper. Argento looked up when they hit the ground, looking at the long scar marring the building. Shelke was quickly on the move again, pulling them both along.

"Shelke! I can't run this fast!" Zul said. She ignored him, continuing forward. Argento looked around at the area they were in, close to where the upper city and lower town overlapped.

"Stop right there!" someone behind them shouted. Shelke looked out over the edge, took exactly five steps south, pulling Argento and Zul along and pushed them down off the upper city before following with them.

* * *

><p>Vincent briefly opened his eyes, looking up at the ceiling. He was on his back, lying on a hard surface. He slowly tried to sit up, but couldn't move his arms or legs. Panicking, he looked around to see that his limbs were restrained by heavy metal clamps.<p>

He thrashed against the restraints, trying to get free. Where was he? And who put him there? The last time he'd found himself like that…

'_Subject shows little improvement in cognitive functions, but seems to have taken on the ability to heal…'_

_What's happening? What's happening to me?_

'…_Hm… brain wave spike… though he has no heartbeat…"_

_Lucrecia? Lucrecia, where are you? Where am I?_

'_These levels are… wrong… who tampered with…?'_

_**What is wrong with that man?**_

…_Did I think that?_

_**A voice? … I understand the language, but… why do I? Strange… very strange. I'm… speaking it? I can speak? I can speak… interesting. I can speak and… I have a body? A body? I'm not sure how I feel about this. Wait, I feel? Yes… I do.**_

_Hello?_

_**Hello. Apparently I'm sharing… I hate sharing. No… I've never shared before, but I don't like the concept. I suppose it doesn't matter as it seems as though you're in a bit of a sticky situation, human.**_

_…Who are you? __**No one too important.**__**But you can call me Chaos, if you wish.**__ Chaos… where have I heard that? __**Valentine, don't you think you should focus on what's going on now? **__…How do you know my name? __**Well, I'm just going to assume it's because I'm in your head, Valentine.**__ Right… where am I? __**Doesn't matter, but maybe I could have someone help you out?**_

'_These reading are spiking rapidly… at this rate, he'll-"_

_What… what's happening to me? __**Just wait. Let's see… Galian Beast… an interesting name… let's see what it can do.**_

'_ARRRRRGGG!' Pain… It hurts… It hurts… but I can't move… I…_

'_Hahaha, a success, it seems. What do you think, Lucrecia?"_

_Lucrecia?_

'…_I'm so sorry, Vincent.'_

Hyperventilating, struggling to get free, Vincent screamed in both pain and fear. The door burst open, Tifa running inside. "Vince! Vincent, calm down, it's okay!"

"T- Tifa…?"

"I'm sorry. We had to keep you from tearing everything up… are you okay now?" she asked.

"…Now? How long have I…"

Tifa looked down. "You've been in and out of consciousness for about three days now." _Three days?_ Had he been tied down that long? He couldn't remember any of it. "We weren't really sure what to do with you. I'm sorry, I know this probably isn't too pleasant."

"It's okay," he lied**. Well, it's okay as long as you don't mind psychotic breaks and post traumatic stress related flashbacks**, Hellmasker pointed out. _You don't sound as loud as you did a minute ago… or… three days ago_. **Well, I'm blocking the rest of them out so I can hear you**. …_You can do that?_ **Yes?** **Haha, you didn't know that?** _No!_ **Hahaha, well…. Now you do!**

"Um… Where are we?" Vincent asked.

"In Cosmo Canyon. We've been rounding everyone up." Vincent nodded, then glanced at his arm restraints. "…Cid told me not to let you go… I'm really sorry about this, Vince."

"I think I'm okay now," he said.

"Well… I'll go talk to him. But he's trying to be careful, you know?"

"I understand," he said quietly. _You have to keep the monster in a cage_… **So we're like a zoo?** _Sure_. Maybe if Vincent humored him, he could keep blocking the others out, keep him somewhat sane. **I like zoos. Especially the ones where the animals get agitated and gore people with their tusks**_._ …_That's nice, Hellmasker_.

"I'll bring him back in just a bit, okay?" Tifa said, holding onto the door knob. Vincent weakly nodded and closed his eyes.

* * *

><p>Cosmo Canyon still made Estu uncomfortable. Everything from the weird energies in the air, to the tall structures, to the giant red beast that everyone seemed to treat as a perfectly normal sight put him on edge. Though a few of the militia guys were uninformed that Nanaki could speak. When they arrived, Ami and Kunsel had gone with Cid to meet him.<p>

"This here's Nanaki, or Red, either way," Cid had said.

"Aw! He's adorable!" Ami said. She'd always held a strong fondness of large dogs, though Estu was fairly certain that Nanaki wasn't exactly a canine. "Look at you! You're so cute!"

"…Thank you?" Nanaki replied uncertainly.

"Oh my gosh! Holy shit! He… he…"

"He can speak," Kunsel said, looking intrigued. "So you're one of the creatures native to this area… Well, in that case, it's nice to meet you, Nanaki."

"Nice to meet you, too."

"I'm sorry," Ami said. "I just thought you were-"

"A pet?" he guessed.

"Um… yeah. Sorry."

He shook his head. "Don't trouble yourself over it. I'm used to that assumption." He looked up at Cid. "Hear that? I'm _adorable_. I don't believe I've heard that one since I was a baby."

Afterwards, Ami had been rather impressed with the entire compound. While she had stepped up to organize the militia and help coordinate them with the WRO troops, Estu hadn't really been invited back into either, so he spent a lot of time that day wandering around.

He really didn't want to talk to Tony again, though he knew he'd have to, just to confirm his guess about the LFT units. Though many people were acting strangely around him, one of the WRO soldiers were nice enough to direct him to where Walter and his family and Tony had arrived the day before. It was, of course, rather high up.

_Maybe it can wait. No. No… just go_. Estu began the long climb up, taking stairs within the tower rather than the outside ladders as often as he could. Now was as good a time as any to face his fear of the boy.

Or not. Tony wasn't in the area, only Ace and Walter, still looking over the Stratus helmet. The teenager glanced up at him, giving a slight wave. "Hey Estu."

"Hi… Tony's out?"

"Thank god, yes," Ace responded.

"Could you at least try to be nice to my friends?" Walter asked.

"Yeah, good luck with that," Estu said automatically. "He doesn't put up well with bullshit. Not even I was a kid. Wait… no… that's wrong. …Crap, I don't like it when that happens!"

"Okay…" Walter said, a bit bewildered. He looked back at his helmet, playing with the parts. "Think I've got this figured out."

"Good, I'll go tell Mr. Highwind for you," Ace said, pulling himself up.

"Um… there's a ton of stairs," Walter pointed out.

"Yeah, so? I've lived like this seven years. I think I can handle some stairs," Ace said, grabbing his cane and walking out the door.

Walter sighed. "Great… he's going to hurt himself."

Estu looked at the door. "Well… since Tony isn't here, I'll just go."

"What? Why? I mean… you can just hang out here for a bit until he comes back," Walter said.

"…You aren't… You don't mind me staying?" he asked.

"No, why?"

"Well it's just… people aren't really… they aren't really comfortable around me anymore," Estu said. "Not since everyone found out about me."

"Oh… Yeah, I guess not. I dunno, I kinda get it, being a little bit of an outcast," he said.

Estu raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"Oh… well, it's mostly at school and stuff. You know… people just kind of… pick on me sometimes. It's not a big deal."

That surprised Estu. "Why would anyone pick on you? You're one of the nicest people I know."

Walter smiled. Estu noticed it was the same half smirk his uncle tended to wear. Maybe it ran in the family. "Well, thanks," he said, "but I'm gonna assume you've never been to a public high school? They like finding anyone who's different or weak. And… well, I'm a little different _and_ weak. An easy target, you know?"

"No, not really. You seem pretty normal to me." Estu paused, thinking about what he said. "I guess, coming from me, that probably doesn't mean much."

"Yeah… Thanks anyway, though," he said, lowering his working glasses and looking back over the helmet.

"But… what's so different about you anyway?"

Walter frowned. "A lot. I'm a nerd and wimpy and I suck at gym and I'm bad with people and I don't like partying or school sports or girls and… well, a lot. But at least there's just two more years of their garbage. Just two more years and then Junon University. I think college might be a little more tolerant. I'll get my degree and they'll end up fetching me coffee." He grinned at the thought, but it slipped after just a few seconds. "Actually, they probably won't. I'll never be in a position of leadership… no spine."

"You stood up to Tony. Actually, you do that all the time. That takes a lot of bravery," Estu pointed out.

"Well, _someone_ has to be his conscience. Gods know he hasn't got his own."

"Well, it's impressive either way," he said.

"If you say so," Walter replied. "Heh… it's funny though. I started out helping him, now I'm about to crack Deepground's greatest weapon. Maybe after this is over things will get better. Might even have more than one friend. …Or two. Can we be friends?"

"Really? Yeah! I mean, I've got next to none right now." Walter nodded, giving him the slight look of pity. "…Thanks."

"Don't worry about it. Anyway, we've got bigger things to worry about right now, huh?"

"Yeah… we really do," Estu agreed. He stiffened at a knock on the door. "Crap! Okay… breathe. I can do this."

"I can get it if you want," Walter said.

"No, I can do this. I'm not afraid of him. All he's got are words. That's all." Estu stood and reached for the doorknob. He took another breath as he pulled it open.

* * *

><p>Cloud glanced at the boy in the black hat opening the door. "Oh… Cloud," he said, sounding surprised.<p>

Cloud rubbed a temple. He should've known Estu would be there. "I'm looking for Walter Walker, he here?"

A mousy haired boy in the back of the room stood and walked over to shake Cloud's hand. "Really nice to meet you officially! I mean… I was there in Rocket Town, but you all were a little… um… preoccupied." He looked over at Estu. "But anyway, I just needed to test something, sit down, please."

"I'll just be going then," Estu said uncomfortably.

"No, c'mon, I told you, you can stay."

"I'd rather not," he said quietly. Much too quiet for Walter to hear, but Cloud could make the words out just fine.

"Anyway… Um… I guess I'll have to explain a bit about the helmets. See, what we've got here," he gestured to the device. "Is really an amplifier, not the medium between the brain and stratus waves. It works in conjunction with another device… that's my hypothesis, at least… now let's see…" he paused, turning away and digging through a large backpack.

"So you're saying the helmets aren't what control the mind?" Cloud asked skeptically.

"No, no… they play a huge roll, but I think…" He pulled out a device, moving it above Cloud's head, listening to a slight beep. "I think there's a direct implant that's doing most of it."

"A direct implant?" After a moment of thought, Cloud's eyes widened. "Are you saying there's a chip in my head!?"

"I think… should be right…" he lowered the device near the back of Cloud's skull, listening to a louder beep. "Right there. Huh… right near memory storage, but also close enough to the midbrain to get easy passage to the spinal cord… Cool."

"Cool? There's seriously a chip in my head?" Cloud asked, feeling violated.

"They shouldn't be able to control your actions without the amplifiers, and if it's any comfort, you could probably get it removed…. Though it seems to be safe enough to leave in, but I dunno... Stratus waves might affect you in some way."

"They'll knock me out cold," Cloud said, thinking back to their fight with Deepground, when Zul had caused him to collapse.

"Hmm… might be a problem for the counter weapon I'm working on," Walter said. "I'll have to go talk to Mr. Highwind… hang on a sec." Walter quickly walked out of the door, leaving Cloud alone with Estu, who stared away from him, at a wall.

"…I'm sorry," he said.

"Don't be."

"But… I am. I shouldn't have called you a puppet."

Cloud stood, walking towards the door. Hearing that word from _his_ lips still sent a shiver down his spine as he remembered the Forgotten Capital, the Northern Crater, the place where the Temple of the Ancients once was… where he'd handed over the black materia, where he'd begged for a number, where he'd failed to stop Aerith's death…

"…I really am sorry."

"Yeah. I heard you."

Acknowledgement… but not exactly forgiveness… he wasn't sure if after it all… if he even could manage that. For either of them.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Okay... so it looks like I'm not getting this wrapped up in 45 chapter like I planed. Instead, it should be around 47 or 48, plus the epilogue. And I might add a prologue, since I want to brush up the first few chapters before I slap a 'complete' sticker on this. Anyway, hopefully this will be done before midterms. I'm a lot more busy now, but college isn't kicking my butt just yet, so I'll still have time for around a chapter a week.**

**Also, the whole Chaos not being truly sentient until he was tied to Vincent goes way into headcannon territory, so I hope no one minds that bit too much. But then again, that's probably the_ littlest_ tweak to the source material I've put in here...**


	44. Chapter 44

Argento crashed down, falling through several plastic sheets that had been put up in a vain effort to shield the lower town from Junon's pollution. They slowed his fall slightly, but his still landed painfully. The air quickly left his lungs as he feebly looked around him for Shelke and Zul. They were both unconscious, but he could make out their breathing. They had both survived. They were all, for the most part, okay. He let that knowledge comfort him even as he slipped into unconsciousness.

Darkness and light seemed to dance around each other as he laid still in the slum street. Once, he partially came to, just aware enough to notice the silhouette of a small child standing over him. He wasn't entirely sure how much time passed. In his dreams, flickers of voices seemed to make their way through the haze that had overtaken him.

'_You love him too.'_

'_Do I?_'

A cold sweat clung to his skin as he felt several wounds being cleaned and treated.

'_You're of no further use to me.'_

'_I'm your son!'_

An echo in the back of his mind seemed to reach him, '_I only have one son._'

"Father…" he whispered. He opened an eye slightly and saw the silhouette again, quickly withdrawing. _Wait… please… don't go. Don't leave me alone._

_He stood alone in an alleyway, waiting for the older boy who'd been giving him a hard time. He clenched his fists. This was something he had to do, something he had to prove... Besides, He owed the bully a black eye. And Argento Tsviet always paid his debts._

_Flashes of blurred motion obscured the dream. He was outmatched, then the attack... He couldn't breath, but kept trying to fight anyway. "Don't you dare hurt him!" Nero shouted. _

_But it was his fight. His fight. Why did Nero always steal everything from him?_

_"He got scared. He didn't want you to die."_

_In the hospital, his father's cold stare made him feel ashamed. Why couldn't he be as good? Why? "I'm sorry," Argento whispered through the respirator. _

_Weiss shook his head. "Such a disappointment."_

_Why don't you care about me?_

_"He never stopped caring about you... Even though you hated him."_

He felt cool water dripping on his forehead, even through the strange fever dream. "Commander Argento?" a voice, clear and cold, reached him.

'_Who are you? And… where am I?' It was a little girl that asked, she didn't look scared so much as confused. Even the confusion was hard to pick up on with her mostly impassive features._

'_Under Midgar. This is a Deepground laboratory,' he explained. 'You've been chosen to be in the program.'_

'_I don't want to be in your program.'_

'_You… you don't really have a choice. I'm sorry. Anyway, it's not mine, it's my father's.'_

'_But… who are you?'_

'_Me? Name's Ti… Argento. My name's Argento. Are you okay?' he asked. The girl looked at her hands, as though trying to see through them._

'_I feel… funny,' she eventually said. Argento nodded, assuming that it was probably because of mako energy._

'_Yeah… it should wear off soon," he told her. He knew the effects of the substance better than anyone by then. Mako had been constantly flowing through his blood since he was only ten years old. Yet, this girl looked even younger. ' How old are you?'_

'_Nine.'_

_He was right, a whole year younger than he'd been. It seemed insignificant, but was quite a difference for a child. Then again, he wasn't much better off… 'I'm twelve. You'll be okay. Welcome to the Deepground division…um…'_

'_Shelke.'_

'_Shelke… Well, … nice to meet you, Shelke.'_

"Commander Argento?"

He looked up at her before he lost focus and fell back into unconsciousness.

* * *

><p>"...I really am sorry."<p>

"Yeah, I heard you," Cloud replied, walking out the door, leaving Estu alone. Estu sighed in frustration. What did Cloud want him to do? Fade from existence? ...Probably.

_It doesn't matter_, he decided. _He can hate me if he wants. I don't care_.

Estu stood and began to walk towards the door. There wasn't much of a point in sitting alone in the room with nothing to do, but then again, he wasn't sure what else he _could_ do. He supposed he could try helping the WRO forces with preparations, but most people felt the same way about him as Cloud did. They wouldn't want him there and he knew it.

It wasn't being disliked that bothered him, really. He could deal with that. It was the looks he got. He hated when people looked at him, paid too much attention, watched him with revulsion and horror… And worst of all, Estu knew that if he were in their shoes, he'd do the same.

With another sigh, he reached for the door knob, but stepped back as it turned from the other side. Tony entered the room, looking uncharacteristically flustered. He actually jumped in surprise when he saw Estu. "What are you- ...Are you stalking me? I swear it seems like you're stalking me."

"I'm not," Estu said, trying to keep his voice even. "I need you to answer some questions about the LFT machines."

"Now? I'm kind of busy and I..." he trailed off, pressing his hand to his ear, listening closely. Estu noticed the slightest sound of a conversation. "...This... this could change everything."

"What could? And what's that sound?"

"Shush."

"But-"

"Shush... ha. Oh my god... that's insane," he said, grinning. He turned towards the door. "This is big, need to go talk to the important people."

Estu stepped in front of him. "Would you quit ignoring me?"

"Ignoring who?" he asked. Estu rolled his eyes. "Anyway, whats with you? Usually you're all like 'leave me alone!" Now you don't want to be ignored? Make up your mind already!"

"I just need to know if the LFT machines could-"

" Yeah, yeah, those things. Look, I told you, I'm busy. This is more interesting than you."

"You can't take the time to answer one question?"

"Depeneds, what's in it for me?" Tony asked.

"You could actually be a good person for once? Prove you're a decent human being?" Estu said.

Tony crossed his arms. "Yeah, see, unlike you, I actually _am_ human, so I've got nothing to prove. Anyway, I've done enough 'good' things for a while. I think I can get by ignoring you."

Estu gritted his teeth. How was it that he was so... so like he'd been, not that long before. True, Estu had never been as sadistic as Tony, but he hadn't felt empathy either. Figures Estu would only rediscover his own humanity when he found out he... wasn't. But then... maybe that meant something. Maybe Ami and Vincent had been right all along... "You know what? I just realized something," Estu said.

"Did you now?" Tony asked, looking bored.

"Yeah. It doesn't matter," Estu said. "It doesn't really matter why I've got Nero's memories, or what happened to me before four years ago, or that I still can't remember any of it. I don't really need my past when I've got the present. I already know who I am-"

"Yeah, because I told you," Tony interupted.

Estu shook his head. "You told me _what_ I am, not _who_ I am. I may be his clone, but that isn't _who_ I am. I think I lost sight of that when I was looking for the truth. It's like I've said all along, I'm not him. Only... before, I was trying to hide behind it... trying to protect myself from everyone else, protect myself from my own doubts. But I know now. I know I'm Estu Matsumoto and nothing is going to change that."

Tony gave a bit of slow, sarcastic applause. "Very nice. How profound. Still doesn't change the fact that you're not human."

"...No, it doesn't. But I am a person. I think and feel... love, hate... hope..."

"Gods, you sound like a freaking Hallmark card," Tony muttered.

"Well, what about you? Do you feel anything at all?" Estu asked. "Have you ever in your life really cared about anything? Anyone?"

That question seemed to cut him. He paused for a moment before brushing it off. "I told you, I'm already human. I don't need to prove anything to you."

"How do you know? Your father was a scientist. What if you're like me, just a copy of another person?" Estu asked.

"Well, I'm pretty sure I'm not a copy of him since I've got my mother's hair and eyes, but nice try. Even if I was, I wouldn't care either way, so... oh," he paused, smirking slightly. "You did that on purpose, didn't you? Trying to make me admit that the cloning thing isn't such a big deal... No... you're not really good enough to make me slip up like that. We all get lucky sometimes, huh?"

"I wasn't trying to trick you," Estu said.

"Yeah, obviously. I've already said you aren't the genius your predecessor was. Which is kind of sad, we could have more fun that way."

Estu was pretty certain that if he was like Sephiroth, Tony would be dead by now. "Well, I'm actually okay with that. I'm not him... I never was." He actually smiled. "Thanks for helping me realize that."

"What?" Tony asked. "I didn't... What the hell? See, this is why you aren't as interesting anymore. I've got better places to be, move." Estu stepped aside and let him walk out, still smiling slightly. It really didn't matter. He'd just have to work past what other people thought of him, but it would be easier, knowing the truth. The real truth he needed to realize all along.

He knew he wasn't quite human, he knew that he was a clone... A copy of someone who he'd seen through another's eyes and hated. But it wasn't all there was to his existence. What he was still bothered him, but he knew and accepted that that was just a part of his life. And for once, it was this acceptance, not denial, that gave him comfort.

* * *

><p>After what seemed like many hours he heard voices again. "It seems I miscalculated slightly."<p>

"You think?" came a sarcastic reply.

"…Argento, sir?" He tried opening his eyes, but honestly couldn't. "Commander Argento… are you well now? …Sir?" The voice, though it nearly lacked any traces of inflection, comforted him. It was a voice he was used to, one that had been heard for over a decade.

"Shelke," he finally managed, opening an eye. She looked down at him, looking a bit roughed up, but otherwise fine. Zul was lying on a cot behind her, eyes closed tight in obvious pain. "Shelke… did that really…" He trailed off, looking at his surroundings. The structure he was in could only be described as a shack, and through one of its open windows he could see the worst part of the under-Junon slums.

Then it really hadn't been a nightmare… Argento still couldn't believe that his own father would do what he did. The very idea seemed absurd to him. He'd never stopped trying to make Weiss happy, make him proud…

"Shelke, what exactly is going on?" Zul asked, his normally calm voice shaking slightly.

Shelke turned back to Argento. "Sir… perhaps you should explain?" _I… I can't… _Argento shook his head, staring away from the two. For a moment, an uncomfortable silence hung in the air, until the door of the shack opened and a very small girl walked into the room.

When she saw the three Deepground members alert, she nearly dropped the brown paper grocery bags she carried. "Y- You're up," she stuttered, looking over them. Something about the girl seemed strangely familiar to Argento. He stared at her, trying to figure out why. She quickly set the bags down and retied a bandana holding her curly red hair back.

"Did you help us?" Zul asked her. She silently nodded, looking over a cut on the teen's face, and reaching for a bit of medicine to dab on it. "Ow!" Zul whined when the stinging liquid soaked into the cut.

"Sorry… it only hurts for a second," she said. Zul tried to scratch at the cut but the girl gripped his hand. "Don't… it'll make it worse. Stop. Stop!"

'_Stop! … Please… just stop…'_

Argento suddenly realized why she seemed so familiar – she'd been at one of the riots near the HQ building in October. Her mother had been shot in the confusion of the protest, probably by one of his men. "I've seen you," he said, trying to sit up. What felt like a cracked rib kept him down, but he watched her eyes as they took on the same fearful look she'd had that day. "Your mother died… not long ago."

"Yes," she replied, tears starting to come to her eyes.

"Why did you help us?" Argento asked. She was young, but surely she knew that he was partially responsible, even if he hadn't killed her mother personally, even if he had spared her life.

The girl looked back at a flyer she'd hung up. "They're looking for you three. Want you dead."

"They what?" Zul asked. He tried to reach for the flyer, but ended up falling back on the cot, gasping in pain.

"Mr. Azul, I believe your injuries are the worst. You should refrain from exerting yourself," Shelke said.

"Thanks," Zul muttered. "…Great. I suppose you two are going to be just fine, though." Argento lifted his wrist, looking over the extra mako bracer he'd fitted over it after they'd escaped Fate's Crossing. It was nearly empty. Zul seemed to notice, realizing that some time had passed. "Oh… How long were we out?"

The girl shied away from him, but Shelke looked up. "I was mostly recovered after a few hours, but you two spent the last day unconscious."

"…So that's it then," Argento said, toying with the bracer. "I'm going to have to try to get more… but… I don't know how without Deepground…"

"I still don't understand what's going on!" Zul said angrily. "You two barge into my office out of nowhere and now I'm… I'm wanted dead?"

"Yes," Shelke said. "That is a fairly accurate summation."

"But…_ I_ didn't _do_ anything," Zul said.

"Yeah… us either," Argento said, looking out at the street.

"That isn't fair! I didn't do _anything_! You two must have done _something_, but I'm innocent!" Under any other circumstances, Argento would have laughed at the idea of Zul being 'innocent.' "Look," he said, trying again to sit up, "maybe if we just call HQ, we can get this all sorted out."

"That sounds like a poor decision," Shelke said. "I highly doubt Dr. Weiss will listen to reason now."

"But…" he racked his brain for another idea. "Oh! Maybe if we call my… my mother. She could talk to him, I'm sure… she-"

"No offense, Zul, but I think that if my father doesn't care to kill me, Violet won't have any qualms not helping you."

"You don't know that!" Zul said.

"She's not going to go against Father. She worships the ground he walks on. Besides, when has she shown any interest in you aside from watching you help the division?"

"Shut up," Zul said angrily. "I know I don't mean much to her but… I don't know, maybe maternal instinct will kick in. …Did I just say 'maybe?' No… No, it will."

"I do not think so, Mr. Azul. She does not seem to posses maternal instincts at all," Shelke said.

"B – But… I … I can't just… I…" Zul stuttered. Argento was actually shocked to see tears forming in his eyes. Zul was absurdly brilliant for his age - for any age, really, but the fact still remained that he _was_ a kid.

Argento sighed. "I'll need my swords, can you get them?" he asked the girl. She nodded, running to fetch them. She carefully handed them both over. Argento cast cure over himself. It was a low leveled materia; he'd never seen much use in white magic, but it was enough to get him on his feet. He walked over to Zul and cast again.

"Thanks," Zul muttered, looking away from him. "But… what do we do?"

"Why are you asking me?"

"You're our leader, Arge."

Argento blinked in surprise. It was a true fact, he knew, but hearing it from Zul was strange. "Well… just give me a while. Let me figure it all out." He turned to the girl. "Can we speak outside?" She gave a trembling nod and opened the door.

* * *

><p>Vincent tried moving his arm out of the restraints, but they were clamped tight. <em> It'll be fine. Stay calm<em>. **Oh, Vinnie, you're overreacting to this. Kinda reminds me of the lab, remember? Good times**.**Hey, you remember that time when Hojo was cutting your arm up just for the heck of it?** _...I'd rather _not_ remember that, actually. _He glanced at the gauntlet covering his left arm. **And then he was messing with the ligaments and tendons and tips of your fingers, testing your nerves... Ah... so much blood. It was great! **

Vincent cringed at the image and clenched his jaw, trying to look around the room. **And then there was the time you got shot... that was hilarious!** _No, it wasn't. _ **And the time at the Forgotten Capital... except pink girl died. I liked pink girl. Oh, but there was the time you sliced your leg open... ** _When did that happen?_ **You know, you were a Turk, you tried playing it all cool in front of Veld and tripped and... **_Wait, that happened a long time before you... you showed up. _He simply laughed and replied with a cryptic,_ Yes, I know._

Vincent tried ignoring him, focusing on the unnaturally loud clock on a wall near him. Digital, he realized. Why on Gaia would anyone program a digital clock to tick?

The door opened a crack as Cid glanced in. "Alrigt, there, Vince?" he asked, frowning.

"...Well, not really," Vincent said, glancing at the manacles on his limbs. "But... thanks for keeping your promise."

"What promise?" Cid asked.

"The one you make at Costa del Sol... you told me you wouldn't let me hurt anyone if... something like this occurred."

"How the hell do ya remember that?"

"Well, you must have. You thought of everyone else."

"Yeah... Are you... you know, okay?" Cid asked.

"I'm not sure," Vincent admitted.

"Well..." Cid paused trying to think of what to do. "Vince, I don't want you in here like this."

"I'll... I'll be fine," he lied.

"No. Don't try to fool me, I know you," Cid opened the restraints on Vincent's arms. "There's no way I'm leavin' ya here."

"And how do you propose I keep the rest of you safe if Chaos..." Vincent trailed off.

"The rest of us are hardly pushovers," Cid said. "Just don't stray off too far, an' we'll take care of ya."

"You make it sound as though I'm on a leash," Vincent said dryly.

"Well, I could probably arange for that. It'd be #$%^ing weird though," Cid laughed.

"Right, I think I'll pass."

* * *

><p>"Why on Gaia did you help us?" Argento asked.<p>

"You… you needed help, so…" the girl paused, looking around the street nervously.

"…It's my fault she's dead. You know that, right?" The girl looked down. "But… you helped anyway… So, who're you with now? Who's taking care of you?"

"…It's like what you said. There's no one around to look after me, so I take care of myself," she said. She looked him in the eye, fear diminished. "And… I'll be stronger because of it, right?"

"…No."

"No? I'll be like you, won't I?"

Argento shook his head. "You don't want to be like me. And… I don't think I was strong enough… no… I was. I am. I just wasn't… smart enough. It didn't help me in the end. I made too many mistakes."

"What kind of mistakes?" she asked.

"I…I trusted the wrong person. I sought their approval, their love, but really… I shunned the only family that I actually had. Just because I was jealous, like a stupid child… I mean… I was a child back then, but… I realized too late... Fifteen years too late." He paused, turning away from her. "I don't want you to forgive me. I'm too far beyond that, understand?"

"Sure… but..."

"Don't. Thank you for helping me. I hope you'll make better decisions than I did." He turned and began to walk back to the door.

"Wait!" Argento turned back. "…I think… you want to make things right, don't you?"

"Nothing I do now is gonna change a thing."

"Are… are you sure?"

"Yeah… I'm pretty sure. But… thank you anyway. What's your name?"

"Christine," she answered.

A strange coincidence… "That was my mother's name. …Here," he said, handing her a few thousand gil, all the money he had on him. "For your trouble."

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"I probably owe you more… hate being in debt. But that's really about all I can do to repay you. Sorry it isn't much in comparison." She nodded. "Well… good luck, kid," he said sincerely that time, walking back inside.

"…Well?" Zul asked. "Do we go back to Deepground?"

"Deepground… is dead," Argento said, turning to the two of them. "At least… the Deepground we knew, the one we helped build."

"But… Commander," Shelke started.

Argento shook his head at her. "No… don't call me that. I told you, Deepground's dead."

"…Argento?" she said, forgoing any titles she'd normally add on. "Argento, what are we to do?"

"_We_ don't do anything," Argento said. "Listen… you two are all you've got. I want you to keep each other safe, understand?" He turned to Zul. "You're a son of a bitch, but you're probably the smartest person I've ever known. Figure out some way to keep her safe and protected, find a way to make sure she gets the mako she needs." He faced Shelke. "Keep his ass out of trouble. He's bound to piss someone off eventually, and most people aren't under orders to not kill him. Besides that, he's just a kid. Listen, Shelke …I know you. I know you can manage this, so… look after him."

"But… what about you?" Zul asked.

"Me?" Argento took a step towards the door. "Well… Let's just say I have some unfinished business to attend to."

"Is this goodbye?" Shelke asked.

Argento nodded, holding onto the door knob. "This is it. …I'm pretty sure this is it, anyway," he said.

"But Arge! Wait a minute!" Zul protested. "Argento… you can't just leave us. I… I don't know what I can do outside of Deepground. I've never even lived out of the program."

"Shelke has… you'll be fine," Argento said.

"But you _can't_ just leave us!"

"He has to do a few things, and does not need our help. Azul, he knows he does not have much time. He would not be able to stay with us forever, so this is as good a time as any... That is what you were thinking, is it not, Argento?" Shelke asked.

Argento gave a slight nod. "Yeah... thank you, Shelke. …So… Goodbye." He opened the door, and began to step out.

"Wait!" Zul said again. Argento turned back, raising an eyebrow. Zul stared silently for a moment, then slowly lifted his hand into a salute. "…Sir." It was perhaps the most meaningful gesture Zul had ever performed. Argento swallowed, then returned the salute, watching the teen's reaction for a moment before turning and leaving the two behind forever.

* * *

><p>Cloud began his climb back down to the ground level, pausing slightly at the sight of Denzel pulling on a white jacket. "Cloud!" he said excitedly when he saw him. Cloud's lips quirked up as he walked over to his adopted son. "Look at this," Denzel said, showing off the jacket. "Pretty cool, huh?"<p>

"...Yeah," Cloud said, looking over Denzel. Of everyone, he seemed the most different after all that time. He'd grown taller in the three months, donned a pair of goggles that reminded Cloud of Cid... but most of all, there was a strange steely glint to his eyes. A look of determination, but also of hardship. It was the look that members of the military got after they'd fought in battles. A look of a child that was forced to fight, to grow up far too quickly. "So... you're fighting with us."

"Uh- huh. ...I'm really good now, really," he said, grinning with the same air of bravado that Cid carried from time to time. It was... different from what was usual for him. He'd used to smile... his used to look a lot like how Cloud's rare smiles had.

"You'll have to show me some time," Cloud said. "...Tifa told me you've been doing a lot."

"Yeah, but I'm pretty tough now," he said. "Marlene is too, believe it or not. You know she can use magic? I think Estu taught her."

"Did he?" Cloud asked, narrowing his eyes.

"...Yeah, guess so. It's kind of weird that she knew all along, but never told anyone, huh?" Cloud nodded in agreement, looking out at the canyon. "So... where are you going?"

"Just need to... just need some air before I get back to Cid."

"Are you going to plan the last attack against Deepground?" Denzel asked. Cloud nodded. "...Cloud? Are we... we're going to win, right?"

_I hope so._ "Yeah, we will." He really hoped he sounded convincing.

* * *

><p>Breaking into the mako storage facility had been simple. He'd been in there before, he knew the ins and outs, the patrol routes. It only took a little stealth and two quickly cast sleep spells to get to one of the large tanks. Argento climbed to the top and submerged the bracer, letting it fill with the planet's lifeblood. With injections spaced five hours apart, it would supply him with enough mako to keep him alive for two or three days. Just alive. He'd have to tread carefully from there on out.<p>

He exited the facility with none the wiser and slipped quietly out of Junon, pulling a hood over his head to hide himself from the patrolling troops. When he was finally outside the city, he looked north, to the nearly impassible mountains that separated him from Edge. It would be a tiring journey…

_Wouldn't it be easier just to let myself get caught?_ Yes… it would. At that point, he knew that no matter what happened, he didn't have much time left anyway. Unfortunately, he had miles to go before he slept, and he knew it. Head held up, he took his first steps towards Midgar.

* * *

><p>Within Edge city, the people unable to escape Deepground's control kept rumors alive to stave off despair. Life had never been prosperous there, and the people of Edge were a hardy bunch. They fought when they could, others survived, keeping under Deepground's radar. But it were these rumors that helped them along.<p>

One nurse in the Edge hospital really enjoyed these rumors, often telling her patients about them. Even the ones who didn't respond.

"They say that AVALANCHE is going to bring a whole army here. Save us," she told the dark haired man. Aparently, he'd been a Turk. One of the best. "There's three of yours too, Reno… Rude… Cissnei. Do you know them?"

He didn't respond. He hadn't in months.

"Well… I hope they'll get here soon."

_So do I._

Tseng was finding that as the days passed, he could think more clearly. Restorative magic could perform miracles, even if it worked them slowly. But from what he'd been able to pick up, him regaining consciousness would result in his immediate arrest. He needed someone he could trust to help. The nurse in question seemed kind enough… Perhaps soon…

The next day, she came in to take care of him. "Morning, Mr. Tseng. How are you?"

"…Actually, fairly well, thank you."

Unfortunately, in her panic, she set an alarm. Tseng didn't bother to fight as they sedated him. He was in no condition for that. _So close_… he thought as the world slipped away. _So close._

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So this has absolutely nothing to do with the chapter, but I noticed that the spell check on here corrects 'Sephiroth' to 'Josephine.' Just thought I'd share.**_  
><em>


	45. Chapter 45

Estu stepped out of the room and into the mid-afternoon light. He briefly glanced down from the compound at the crowds below. Taking a few steps back, he wondered what he could do to help them. _Crowds be damned… I'll just ignore them_, he decided, even though large groups of people still made him nervous, especially if he drew their attention. _I'll ignore them._

As he climbed the many stairs to the base of the compound, he saw Ace, resting on a landing. "…You okay?" Estu asked.

Ace smiled his half smirk. "Yeah… these stairs are killing me though. You'd think they'd have an elevator or two… guess that'd kind of go against the point of this place, huh?"

"Yeah… I wish it was all lower to the ground. That would fix the problem."

"Aw, what fun would that be? Have you seen the view from the top? It's great! Here, c'mon." He gestured for Estu to go back up, but he quickly shook his head.

"I'd rather not, actually."

"Why's that?"

"I'm… um… acrophobic," he admitted.

Ace raised an eyebrow. "Really? I mean it's just… Nero never was. Wait, can you remember…?"

"The crash?" Estu guessed. Ace nodded grimly. "Yeah… I've had nightmares about it since I was a kid. I remember it pretty vividly, actually."

"Huh… no wonder then. Sorry I brought it up. …I don't remember much from that day, to be honest. It was all such a blur." He glanced outward, looking at the canyon. "It must be weird, remembering his past."

"It's what I'm used to," Estu said. "I just didn't know any of it really happened."

"Yeah… well, it happened," Ace said thoughtfully. "Estu… You know that you'll probably end up facing Argento again. Will you be able to?" he asked suddenly. Estu blinked in surprise, glancing up at Ace. "Sorry. Ran into your sister earlier. It's funny, she seemed a little surprised that I exist."

"Well, like I said, I thought all the dreams were just that," Estu said.

Ace nodded. "Well the truth seems much stranger, doesn't it? But anyway, she mentioned that you ran into him. You couldn't fight him, could you?"

Estu looked down. "I was going to, but… he just reminded of when he was a kid. I couldn't have hurt him… no matter what, I couldn't have. I don't know what I'll do if I see him again."

Ace sighed, leaning against the stair railing. "Nero always was protective of his brother. I think even if Tine had been the older one, Nero would try to keep him safe. I guess… I don't know. But if I was in the position of fighting my brother… well, I know it would be difficult if I thought of him that way. I know it sounds cold, but try forgetting who he is."

"Wish I could," Estu muttered.

"I know," Ace said. "At least… I'm guessing Weiss won't present the same problem?"

"Hell no. I'm not worried about not being able to fight against him," Estu said, clenching his fists. "He scares me a little though… it's like he knows everything about me… which I guess he kind of does, actually."

"Hm… sort of like that dipshit my nephew likes for some reason," Ace said. Estu laughed. "Gods, have you heard the kid talk? Twenty words a second, I swear."

"Yeah. He should do auctions."

"He really should… Guess he'd take that as an insult to his intelligence, ha. I really don't know why Walter tolerates him… he really shouldn't."

"You know a lot of people like that, don't you?" Estu asked.

"Apparently. Him and Nero… did you know they met once?"

"Really?"

"Yeah… my son's first birthday party. You remember?"

Estu closed his eyes for a moment, then nodded, thinking back to Ace's home in Rocket Town, banners and a bright blue chocobo shaped cake. An image of a very small, mousy haired boy came to mind, nervously keeping away from the black haired man until Ace pulled him over to introduce the two. "Man… he was so little. It's weird… he's older than me now. …I mean he was always older than _me_, but…" Estu shook his head. "You know what I mean."

"Sort of. Not really." Ace looked up. "Guess I should get going again… I need to check up on Alicia and the kids anyway. I worry sometimes that if I disappeared…. What would happen to them? Scares me."

"You get scared?" Estu asked. Ace gave him 'the look' again. "Crap… that was a stupid question. I'm sorry."

Ace chuckled at him. "I'll see you later, kid."

"Hey, quit calling me kid!" Estu said with mock indignation.

"You _are_ a kid, kid," Ace said, making his way up he stairs.

* * *

><p>Two days of traveling left Argento exhausted. He looked at the mako bracer on his wrist, frowning. He'd need to get more, soon. He approached Edge city at night fall, creeping into the city under the cover of a cloudy sky. Argento wished he could use a flashlight or something. He could see better in the dark than most, though when he ran low on mako his night vision decreased somewhat. Argento made his way towards the city hospital where he was sure some mako was. He climbed up to the roof to avoid any guards.<p>

Argento ducked through a window, quickly rolling to a crouch behind a hospital bed. He glanced around the empty room, looking out for guards. It was quiet… very quiet. He slowly crept around the bed and into the hallway. He turned at the sound of footsteps approaching and dove under a rolling bed, carelessly left out. The sound of his breathing and heartbeat seemed unnaturally loud to him as the footsteps grew closer. He kept as silent as he could, body tensed as the person passed his hiding spot.

Argento stayed hidden for a minute after the guard passed. He quietly slipped out when he was sure he was safe and approached a stairwell. …_It's down a few floors… damn it._ He treaded quietly as he made his way down the stairs. When he reached the right floor, he looked around again for guards. He nearly jumped at the sudden sound of conversation.

"So Charlie got promoted?"

"Yeah, had to fill out some of the spots from all those dead elites, you know?"

He quietly opened the door of a room, slipping into the darkness. Argento pressed his ear to the crack of the door as he listened to the two guards. A hand suddenly closed around his mouth. His heart skipped a beat as his hands quickly went towards his swords. "Quiet, or I'll snap your neck," a whisper in his ear said.

Heart still racing, Argento nodded slightly, waiting for the guards to pass. As the voices died down, he threw the other person off, drawing his swords. Piercing dark eyes under a mess of black hair met his as he stared the man down. "Oh…I'm sorry…You aren't a guard," he said, looking over Argento.

"No… and you're… what, a patient?" Argento asked.

"More like a prisoner." The man brushed a bit of his hair away from his face. Argento's eyes widened as he realized who he was.

"…Tseng?" Argento asked. He studied the man's features for a moment, sure that it really was Tseng of the Turks.

"Keep your voice down," Tseng whispered. "…Who are you, and why are you here?"

_He doesn't know who I am_, Argento realized. That was… awkward, to say the least. "I'm looking for the mako room. I know they keep some stored here for the Deepground troops."

Tseng looked thoughtful. "I've heard them talk about that. It's on this floor."

"Yeah, I know."

"It's heavily guarded," Tseng continued.

"…Yeah. I _know_."

"I could help you get in there if you'll help me get out," he suggested.

Argento looked at the man incredulously. He had no idea who he was talking to. No idea that… that _he_ was the one who caused him to be sent there in the first place. "Sounds like a plan," he said, trying to hide his eyes from the man.

"…You seem uneasy."

_Damn perceptive Turks_. "We're in a tight spot. Of course I'm uneasy."

Tseng seemed to accept the answer. "Fair enough, let's go."

* * *

><p>It was nearly evening on the compound. AVALANCHE, the Turks, and a few key members of both the WRO army and Nibelheim militia were meeting in the conference room of the <em>Shera<em>. Cid sat at the head of the table, looking over maps with Kunsel, though he glanced away occasionally, keeping his eyes trained on Vincent. Vincent wished he could just let the others take care of the proceedings. He wasn't a strategizer, at least not for large scale conflicts such as what they faced. As a former Turk, he was much more used to smaller missions. Here, he just followed orders.

"Edge is bound to be heavily guarded," Cid said. "We have word from there?"

"Everything's being blocked," Kunsel said. "Two of my informants have been captured, too."

Cid grunted in annoyance. "What about Junon?"

Tony looked up at him. "Actually, I've gotten some interesting news from there," he said.

"Really? What?"

"Looks like Argento, Shelke, and Azul are all being hunted down. Don't know why, but the Deepground top tier elite forces seem to have been taken out of the picture."

Vincent's eyebrows knitted together. He wondered why that was. He doubted Argento would have a change of heart, and so soon after they got the Proto-materia? It didn't seem to add up.

"Well… that'll make things simpler at least. But we've still got the normal troops, behemoths, monsters, Stratus…" Vincent noticed Cloud tense up at the last one. "So the weapon workin'?"

Walter shrugged. "It should, but… maybe I should test it? I don't know…"

Cid looked over at Cloud. "Think you can help him with that?"

"What's it going to do?" Cloud asked worriedly.

"Um… It should just knock you out …if it actually does anything, I mean. We could try the lowest setting," Walter suggested.

Cloud sighed. "Yeah… I'll help test it."

"Well that's settled," Cid said. "Now if we knock out Stratus, what's the numbers left?"

Kunsel checked his phone. "Still around five hundred."

"And how many people do we have?"

"Three hundred or so," Kunsel said. "Which leaves our odds of victory-"

"Don't tell me the odds," Cid said. Kunsel nodded, slipping his phone back into his pocket. "We still need to know where in Midgar these guys were holed up in."

"Estu could probably tell you that," Vincent pointed out.

"Hm… kid might remember, I guess," Cid said. "Now as far as the WRO troops go…"

Vincent stopped listening as Cid made plans. He could still sense Hellmasker, but the demon, for whatever reason was keeping quiet. When the strategy meeting finally ended, he and Cid stepped off the _Shera_, and to the fire pit.

**Well that was boring…** _It wasn't supposed to entertain you_. ** But our friends are usually-** _ Our friends?_ **...Yeah**. _No_. **What? Why?** _Because you hate them_. **No I don't!** _You've threatened or made attempts to kill them on several occasions_. **I just wanted to see what color their insides are… that's all**. Vincent wasn't quite sure how to respond to that one. **I bet their blood is a lovely shade of red, Vinnie. We like red. **Vincent shook his head, ignoring him.

They ate dinner by the fire, just AVALANCHE. It was almost like old times. …Almost. At least their group seemed a little more complete with Cloud with them. Knowing in a few days time, they'd face their biggest battle yet, they spoke of good times past… and plans for the future. Vincent wondered why they always spoke of what was next when it was so possible that next would never come.

* * *

><p>Cloud tapped his foot on the ground, looking at the strange device that Walter had cobbled together. "This is going to hurt, isn't it?"<p>

"Um… it shouldn't… probably." Walter's uncertainty didn't inspire much confidence. "Okay, so… um… I'll just…" he paused, fretting over the controls. "Shit…. I don't want to use it yet. Let me make a few adjustments," he said, turning to Cid. The pilot shook his head.

"Kid, just test it, you already played with all the settings," Cid pointed out.

"Yeah, but I don't know… I mean, what if it-"

"This start it?" Cid asked, pointing at a button.

"Um… yeah but-" Walter's eyes widened as Cid pushed the button. "Hey wait! What if it-"

Thud. They both looked over at Cloud's unconscious body. "…Looks like it worked just fine," Cid said.

"Is he okay!? Mr. Strife!? Are you okay!? I'm sorry! Was it too strong!? Oh my god, I've killed him, haven't I!?" Walter asked, looking distressed. Cid rolled his eyes. How did they always end up with such weirdos?

"Cloud, get yer ass up! You're freakin' him out." Cloud stirred slightly, then slowly sat up, rubbing the back of his head.

"You said that wouldn't hurt," he muttered.

"Did it?" Walter asked. "Crap! Was it bad? Oh, do you think you have any brain damage from that? Do you know where you are, how you got here-"

"I'm alright," Cloud said. "Don't worry about it. It works just fine."

Walter sighed. "That's a relief." He grinned slightly. "So, we just need to get to the radio tower in Edge to broadcast the signal. Piece of cake."

Cloud rubbed a temple. "Piece of cake? Yeah, I'll just be knocked out of commission when we use it…"

Cid slapped him on the shoulder. "Sorry, Spiky. Trust me, I'd rather have you help us. Maybe once you get your wits back about you."

"I'll just rejoin the fight as soon as I can, yeah," Cloud said, still a little bitter. He hadn't felt as useless as he did now since the geostigma plague, and even then, at least he would be able be the victorious one. This time around… he wasn't so sure. _Just a puppet on strings… no_. "I'll just have to make up for lost time."

* * *

><p>Argento followed behind Tseng as they moved through the hospital corridors. At the sound of a guard approaching, Argento ducked into a storage closet, pulling Tseng in with him. The listened as the guard passed. Tseng exhaled as soon as they were in the clear. But a sudden spasm rocked through Argento, and he fell to the ground, trying to stifle the coughing fit.<p>

Tseng's eyes widened as the footsteps ran towards them. Argento tried to stand_. Not now! Damn it, not now!_ Flecks of red spattered onto the floor near him. Tseng fell into a fighting stance, waiting for the door to open. As soon as it did, he grabbed the guard into a choke hold, gripping him until he passed out. The guard dropped to the ground and Tseng slowly approached Argento, whose breath was back, though it came in short, pained gasps.

"…Are you sick?" Tseng asked, standing over him.

"I'm fine," Argento said stubbornly, trying to get up. His muscles refused to cooperate, so he settled for sitting up as much as he could, trying to keep at least a shred of dignity. Tseng watched with a slightly worried expression. His eyes carrying an ounce of emotion, an ounce of… _pity_. It infuriated Argento. "I told you, I'm fine," he said, a bit of anger rising. "Stop looking at me like that!"

"Do you need help up?" Tseng asked, keeping a calm and detached tone.

"No."

"…We need to keep moving," he pointed out. Argento huffed in annoyance, but knew that the Turk was right. Tseng held out a hand. "Come on."

Argento grudgingly reached up to grab Tseng's arm. As the Turk pulled him up, he gripped some of the shelving for support to keep his legs from buckling beneath him. "God damn it," Argento muttered. He bit his lip, trying to will his body to work. _You aren't weak. You aren't. _He took a tentative step forward, wobbling slightly, though he could tell he'd be able to walk.

Tseng watched him as they exited the closet. "Just hold on. We're almost there."

"I said I'm alright," Argento hissed, trying to walk in front of the Turk.

"Of course, I could tell," Tseng said sarcastically. Argento looked away from him as they kept going. They stopped at a room down the hall. "Here," Tseng said, pulling at a door knob. It was locked.

Argento looked down at a key pad. "Hm…" He stared at the keys for a moment before getting an idea. "Can you go find me some gloves? Preferably latex?" he asked Tseng. The man nodded, though he seemed confused, and quickly walked away. Alone, Argento slumped onto the floor, exhausted. He hadn't wanted to show how weak he felt in front of Tseng, but the dull pain radiating through his entire body was getting unbearable. His lungs felt tight and burnt, his throat itching with the sensation of tiny blood vessels bursting within it, his muscles strained…

He ignored his pain and stood back up as footsteps approached again. Tseng carried a box of gloves. "So… what are these for?"

Argento smiled wryly. "You're a Turk, you should know this." He took a glove, dusting the powder on it onto the key pad. Then repeated with another, and another, until a film of dust was clearly visible. He blew the excess off, examining the key pad.

"I don't think that worked," Tseng said, squinting at it.

"No… it did. You wouldn't be able to see it, but my senses are a little better," Argento said. "One… Three… Eight…" He typed the three numbers, though the door remained locked.

"…It didn't work."

"I can see that," Argento said, frustrated. He tried each combination of the numbers, trying to find the right one. None of them worked. "What the hell is wrong with…? Oh."

"What?"

"Duh, it's so simple, one of the numbers must repeat. Let's see… One, three, eight… hmm...maybe one, three, eighty-one?" He tried it, and the lock clicked open. Argento sighed, shaking his head. "…Of _course_. Should've guessed that one. January third, 1981."

"Some significance?" Tseng asked.

_My brother's birthday_. "Yeah, you could say that," Argento said, opening the door. He looked at a large centrifuge on the side of the room, quietly humming as it filled vials with slightly diluted mako. He made his way towards the vials and syringes. Tseng watched as Argento jabbed a mako filled needle into his arm, wincing slightly as the burning fluid coursed through his veins. It took a few minutes for the effect to take hold, but he could feel his body slowly returning to normal. Argento took a deep breath before glancing over at Tseng.

"Hang on. I'll help you get out of here… just give me a minute," Argento said, pouring the mako from several vials into his bracer before reattaching the armor to his forearm.

"Take your time. …Thank you, by the way."

Argento stiffened, looking away from the Turk. "Don't thank me. You really don't need to."

"But you're going to help me," Tseng pointed out.

"I don't deserve your thanks," Argento said, sitting, waiting for the worst effects of mako withdrawal to dissipate.

"Why do you say that?"

Argento looked away for a moment, silent, as he tried to think of how to explain… "I've done a few things. Terrible things. I don't deserve any thanks. I don't… deserve anything."

"So what are you trying to do then?" Tseng asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Obviously, you're trying to accomplish something here, so what's your goal? Redemption?"

"Redemption? No… no. I don't think I can do enough to earn that anymore. Not after everything."

"But you're sorry, aren't you?" Tseng asked.

Argento shook his head. "Only because it all blew up in my face. I think, otherwise, I'd have kept on going… I guess I could make the argument that I was just following orders, but it wasn't just that. I knew what I was doing every step of the way. And I'm too far beyond forgiveness."

"Then… why are you here?"

"Why am I here?" Argento repeated, whispering. "I guess… I'm just trying to settle a bit of debt. Maybe I can end this with an almost clean slate… almost."

"End… end what?"

Argento stood, ignoring the question. "Come on, we should get going." Feeling energized from the mako, he drew his swords. "Hm… can you use one of these?"

"I'd prefer a gun," Tseng said.

"Well, let's see if we can get you one."

* * *

><p>It was getting pretty late. After Estu helped with preparations, he decided to retire to a quiet corner of the compound to rest. He looked up at the sky… at the stars, all of them crystal clear out in the canyon. Ami settled down next to him. "Hey," he greeted.<p>

"Hey," she said back. "You seemed pretty cheerful today."

"Yeah? Heh… me, cheerful? Doesn't really sound right, does it?" he asked.

"Well… I mean, it's you," she pointed out.

"Yeah… it is," he said, smiling slightly. Ami raised an eyebrow. "It's just… I think I've been looking at all this the wrong way. Even though you and Vincent already told me I'm… well… me. I… I guess I didn't really believe it..."

"Well, I mean… we're both trying to look out for you," she pointed out.

"Yeah… I'm glad both of you are here for me. Even though… well… I kind of screwed things up for you."

"Don't be ridiculous. You're family," she said.

He nodded. "Yeah… but I think I really need to listen to you more often."

"Well, duh. I'm always right," she said.

"I wouldn't go that far…"

Ami shook her head. "Nope, everyone knows older sisters are always right."

"Right," he said, rolling his eyes. Somewhere, the mournful howl of a wolf echoed through the canyon. Ami sighed, glancing over at him.

"So… Estu," she started. Estu looked over at her, trying to read her expression. "It's just…Are you scared at all?" she asked, looking over at the _Shera_. "We leave tomorrow, then…" Ami sighed. "Guess I'm just nervous that… that something will happen."

Estu tried to ignore the knot in his stomach. "We'll win this. We will, I mean… we've got a lot going for us." _And a lot going against us_… "Anyway, you'll kick butt, right?"

"Oh yeah, definitely," she said, trying to put on a brave smile.

"Wish I could always have your confidence."

"But I'm not…I'm not really as sure of myself as I pretend to be," she admitted. "It's just… easier that way, you know?" Estu supposed that made sense… sort of. "Guess we all hide a few things."

"But… we'll be okay, right? I mean… we have to be. Nothing's ever going to change," he said.

"Of course not. We'll be okay," she said, looking out at the night sky. "We'll be okay."

As the hours passed, Estu felt his eyes growing heavy. His head eventually fell onto Ami's shoulder, she, herself, already drifting off. They slept peacefully beneath the stars - for a few hours, able to forget their worries and fears of the battle to come as the next day slowly approached.

* * *

><p>At full strength, it only took Argento around ten minutes to get through security and escape the hospital, Tseng sticking close to him. He smiled slightly as he stared the last of the guards down. The guard looked terrified… Argento laughed at his fear, high on the adrenaline rush that came with battle.<p>

"Wait," Tseng said. He held his gun towards the guard. "Step aside. Now."

The guard nodded and got out of their way. "…I could've-" Argento started, holding his swords up.

"No, just leave him," Tseng said, walking through the door. Argento followed, annoyed. They ran away from the hospital,towards a back alley before stopping to catch their breath. "...Good, he's not following."

"I could've taken him out easily," Argento muttered.

"I'm sure that's true, but it wasn't necessary," Tseng said. He tore a strip of cloth from his shirt and tied his hair back. "Well, then… I know you asked me not to thank you, but… I just realized I never got your name."

Argento stiffened, looking away from him. "I didn't give it to you."

"Are you going to tell me?"

"…You… you can just call me… Tine," he eventually said.

"Tine?"

"It's not a stupid name," he said defensively.

"I didn't say it was," Tseng said. "Well, Tine… good luck repaying that debt."

"…Thanks," Argento said, turning. "Will you… will you help them win?"

"Of course."

"I see… I'm glad. If… if after this is over… as a favor for helping you… If you find Azul or Shelke… you should go easy on them. Please." Argento struggled with the last word. He did not beg. Especially from stupid Turks.

Tseng raised an eyebrow. "Zul from the engineering department?"

"Yeah. He really is just a kid. Don't… don't let him or Shelke get hurt. Please."

"Very well. I'll see what I can do," he said.

"Thank you." With that, Argento quickly ran off, leaving Tseng alone to lay low as the first sunrays lit up the sky over Edge.

* * *

><p>Vincent watched as morning aproached over the compound. The next days ahead of them seemed daunting, but...<p>

_We're finally going back... Edge._ He looked out at the compound. At his friends around the fire, some too worried about the coming fight to sleep, at the makeshift barracks for the displaced troops, at the two siblings whose dreams were bound to be haunted by the fear of being torn apart again, so soon after finding each other...

He glanced down at his left arm, moving the tallons of the gauntlet around. He realized how much of a time bomb he was... Only one weak moment away from transformation, one moment of weakness away from the destruction of all he held dear. But he couldn't let that happen.

_If I win this... Will I be forgiven? My sins absolved?_

_"Can sins ever be forgiven?" Perhaps I just need to try. _

Vincent looked over Cerberus, gripping the gun tightly. He wouldn't let himself fail again.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I'm really sorry about the lateness of this chapter. I tried to finish it by Friday, I really did, but I kind of got caught up between school stuff and writers block. Anyway, though, I have a busy week next week, so putting a new chapter up is something I don't think I'll accomplish. I am going to spend some time fixing up the first five chapters, and possibly adding a few scenes, so there's that. Thanks for being patient. You guys rock!**


	46. Chapter 46

When morning came, Vincent was among the first to board the airship. Cid had woken early, doing last minute preparations for the journey and their last battle. "Go get your guys rounded up," Cid told Kunsel, who nodded and quickly passed Vincent on his way out of the airship. "Shera, our numbers look good?"

"Everything's running smoothly," she said.

Cid nodded, looking up at the sky through a window. "Clear now, but it looks like there will be clouds later… there's a storm comin'. I can feel it."

"Because that's what you heard on the radio this morning?" Vincent asked.

Cid's shoulders slumped. "Really? You just had to kill the mood, didn't you?"

Despite their usual banter, both men knew how much would be at stake that day. And at half past six that day, when the _Shera_ rose into the sky, they knew that there would be no going back. They would have to win… or else.

There was an apprehensive air on board the airship. An overwhelming dread had overtaken some of the WRO troops, who restlessly tried to move about the ship. With so many people on board, it had become a bit cramped and crowded, though aside from two pilots who insisted on flying their own crafts, everyone who was fighting with them was there. Vincent looked around at them, then, unnoticed, he quietly slipped into a corner corridor.

It was dark… oddly dark, much to his liking. The hallway was bare, empty… Vincent paused in his assessment of the corridor. What was it for? It was a hall that contained nothing, led to nothing… Knowing Cid, he wouldn't have designed such a pointless space. Vincent, suddenly feeling claustrophobic, walked back towards the door that he couldn't recall opening to get in. He tried turning the door knob, but it wouldn't budge. Locked? He sighed in annoyance then tapped on it with his knuckles.

There was no answer. "Hello?" Vincent called out. He felt like an idiot, managing to lock himself in a corridor. There still wasn't an answer. "Hello? …Hello!" Nothing.

Frustrated, he lifted his left hand, fully intending to rip the door from its hinges. But something caught him off guard. It took him a moment to realize what seemed so wrong, and then it hit him. "No gauntlet?" He looked over his arm, completely normal. He suddenly realized _how_ dark it seemed. It was never as dark as it was then. His vision was far too good. Confused, he rubbed the back of his head, noticing his hair was short.

_I look like I did back then_, he realized. But that was impossible. The only explanation would be that he was-

"**Hello Vinnie**."

Vincent turned, finding himself face to face with an imposing masked figure holding a chainsaw.

He had to be having some sort of nightmare.

* * *

><p>Estu shrank away from the rows of WRO soldiers. They, with their large guns and real uniforms, seemed much more imposing than the militia. Marlene sat with him, studying the soldiers. "It's okay, we're on the same side," she pointed out, noticing his unease.<p>

"Yeah, I know." Estu played with one of the buttons on his white jacket. "You know, when I was a kid-"

"Estu, you _are_ a kid," Marlene interrupted.

"I mean when I was younger," Estu said, a bit irritably. "Anyway, I used to think maybe I'd join the WRO someday."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Hm… General Estu. It would sound good, don't you think? Course… I guess there would be a bit of irony there, especially since… well, it would be a bit of history repeating in some people's eyes." He paused for a moment, then continued, "I don't really think so, though. It's funny, I haven't really thought much about the future since then. Wonder if I even should." He swallowed, looking out at the troops. "So did you talk to anyone about what you're doing?"

She nodded. "I'm helping with the white magic crew back here. It's a good thing I can do the curing thing. I showed Tifa and Cloud and Cid, but …they want to keep me far away from any fighting."

"That's probably a good thing." He felt as though it was a bit of an understatement.

"But… if someone does slip past all the defense, I'll be ready for them," she said, grinning.

"Good," Estu said.

A sudden rattling sound caught his attention. "Did you hear that?" Marlene asked. Estu nodded, looking around the room. No one else seemed to. "Wonder what it was," she said, standing and walking towards the sound.

"Hey, wait," Estu said, following after her.

Marlene glanced back, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "C'mon, hurry up." She looked around the ship, pressing her ear to a stairwell. "I think it's from down there," she said, opening the door and entering.

Estu sighed, annoyed. "Look, does it matter where the sound came from? Besides, we're the only ones who heard it, maybe it was nothing."

"Or because we're young and have better hearing," she pointed out.

"It was loud enough for everyone else to hear."

She shook her head. "No, I barely heard it myself!"

Estu frowned. "Really? Seemed pretty loud to me…"

"You probably have super hearing." He thought about it for a moment, then shrugged, though it was probably true. "Anyway, where's your sense of adventure?"

"It left around the same time we got on this stupid thing," Estu said, holding a rail and walking carefully down the stairs.

"You're still no fun."

"Then don't spend so much time around me!" She glanced back at him, bemused. " …Wait, no. Don't do that. I'm sorry," Estu apologized. He really didn't need to make her abandon him. He had few enough people who liked him already. Marlene giggled at him, apparently unaware he was being dead serious.

They reached the bottom step, looking around the gloomy darkness. "See, nothing," Estu said, glancing back at Marlene.

"…Estu," he voice shook slightly. Confused, he looked up at her eyes, meeting them before they looked ahead. Estu turned towards the dark room ahead of them, staring at the pair of glowing yellow eyes in the center of the abyss.

* * *

><p>"Hellmasker?" Vincent asked, utterly lost. The demon laughed. Vincent looked around the narrow corridor, trying to figure out what was going on. "I don't understand… how-"<p>

"**Vinnie, if you're in here, who's out there**?" Hellmasker asked, gesturing towards the door.

_Who's out_… _Chaos_! "…Damn it! No!" Vincent ran towards the door again, beating on it, pulling at the doorknob.

"**Uh… that isn't going to work, haha."**

"Well help me then!" Vincent said.

"**I am**."

Vincent paused, turning back towards the demon. "No you aren't… you're just…. Standing there."

"**I've got our hand on the door knob, don't I**?" Vincent glanced at his left hand, then pulled it away, clenching his fist uncomfortably near his chest. "**Something wrong, Vinnie?**" Hellmasker asked, a faint laugh on his voice.

"Yes. Don't call parts of me… 'yours.' It's weird," Vincent said, still cradling his hand.

"**Hm… you never were good about sharing**," Hellmasker muttered, walking away from Vincent. "**Think it's because you were an only child? Then out on the playgrounds… you never had many friends as a kid, did you, Vincent?"**

"How… how did you know that?" Vincent asked.

Hellmasker turned back. "**Well… I was there**."

"No you weren't! You've only been around since Hojo stuck you in my head."

Hellmasker tilted his head slightly, giving the impression of a confused child. "**No. No, I've been around longer than that. I just wasn't me.**"

Vincent tried to process what the demon was saying. "I'm sorry, what?"

Glowing yellow eyes blinked slowly. "**Vinnie… what do you think we are, exactly? Me and Galian and Death Gigas. What are we?"**

"Demons?" he said, unsure why he was being asked that.

"**No… well, yes, I suppose that's a good term. We are demons. But where do demons come from? You do realize hell doesn't exist, of course.**"

"All souls return to the lifestream, regardless of their worth," Vincent said. "But you three would just be… monsters? Perhaps some sort of summons that trigger when I enter an agitated state?"

"**Essentially, but you still haven't said where demons come from**," Hellmasker said. "**If they don't come from an outer hell, where do they rest?**"

_Where demons come from? …Where do demons come from if not from hell_… "Demons… come from…" Vincent's eyes widened as he realized what conclusion he was being guided to. "No. That's…"

"**Impossible? Haha, why's that impossible, Vinnie?"**

"I'm not… you aren't from me!" Vincent said, staring the demon down. "You're… you're way too-"

"**Sick, twisted, and wrong? Dare I say… monstrous?**" Hellmasker asked. "**Don't they say we all have a dark side? You had morbid curiosity once. You still do to a degree. A very black sense of humor… a bit of sadism, deep down**."

The Death Gigas appeared before him, startling him slightly. Hellmasker continued as though nothing was amiss. "**And, of course, there's part of you that isn't exactly smart. A part that feels, rather than thinks. The part that's been victimized, helpless, large and scary, though not necessarily through its own fault. A part that listens and doesn't analyze. Even though this part is underutilized. Do you have to think so much, Vinnie?"**

"**Viiiinnnniiiiieee**?" Death Gigas asked slowly.

"**Hahaha, yup!"** Hellmasker said. Death Gigas was suddenly replaced with the large animal-like Galian Beast. "**And, last but not least, the animal, the instinct, the senses, the pure rage, the pure mournfulness… Kind of like this big fellow?"**

"No," Vincent said. "You three did not exist until-"

"**Until Hojo gave us shapes so you could see us better?"** he asked. Hellmasker paused, looking at the door. "**You know, Chaos has really been mean to me lately. Being quiet except to threaten me or my friends…**"

"Mine. My friends." He could almost feel his cheeks burning, though he knew he shouldn't have been able to. "You aren't me."

"**I'm an aspect though… aren't I? Anyway, I think we can probably deal with this later when … **_**your**_**… I'll say 'your' if it makes you happy… But we can deal with this when **_**your**_** kids aren't in trouble**."

"…My kids?" Vincent asked.

"**Ribbon girl and the little clone**," Hellmasker said. "**I think they're… trying to run, but she's so little and… he doesn't do so well up high, does he? Hope he can protect her**."

"Marlene…" Vincent whispered, pulling at the door handle again. "Why's it different now? Why am I in here? And how do I get out?"

Hellmasker shrugged. "**Why are you asking me that? I only know as much as you do… or as much as you do subconsciously**." He walked closer to Vincent, staring at the doorknob. "**I think you managed to lock yourself out."**

"That's ridiculous, why would I do that?" Vincent asked.

"**Haha. Because you're a little messed up. Let go for a second**." Vincent refused, still pulling against the door knob. Hellmasker chuckled and put a clawed hand on top of Vincent's. "**Heh, there's the problem. You're terrified.**"

Vincent shook his head, taking a deep breath. "No, I'm completely calm," he said coolly.

"**You hide it well, but you feel just as much as everyone else around you. You're very good at hiding. Even under all the red cloaks and golden gauntlets that make you so visible. Maybe that's the trick… you make the outside stand out to make the inside less apparent. Either way, you're still very good at hiding… I guess that's where the little clone gets it from**." He turned back and opened a door near the end of the corridor, allowing Death Gigas and Galian Beast in. **"But… we manifest when you're most afraid, most in pain. It fuels Chaos, but it fuels us too."**

"If I can't get control from him, can one of you go instead?" Vincent asked.

Hellmasker thought about it. "**Yeah, haha, that might actually work**!" He looked over the other two. "**Hm… Galian is mostly rage… Death Gigas is more neutral though, but he's a little clumsy."**

"You're the most human," Vincent said. "But… I'm not sure I can trust you."

"**Can you trust yourself**?" Hellmasker asked.

"…No, not really."

"**Heh! Interesting answer, but do you have a choice**?"

Vincent hesitated for a moment, then shook his head. "Go. Hurry… save them."

"**Will do, boss**," Hellmasker laughed, pulling the door wide open and exiting, leaving Vincent behind in the darkness.

* * *

><p>"Just… go back slowly. It'll be okay," Estu said, stepping in front of Marlene. She looked around him, eyes wide with fear as she looked into the dark corridor. Estu swallowed, slowly and carefully pushing her back. Terrified, he gripped the hilt of his sword. "…Vincent? If you're in there-"<p>

"**And why would the human be the one in control**?" a deep voice reverberated through the corridor. Estu's breath caught in his throat. _Chaos… I can't beat him. Not on my own_. The demon stepped out of the shadows, yellow eyes glinting with sinister light. "**Oh look… the two children he cares about**." He looked over Marlene. "**The little orphaned **_**brat**_." Chaos looked over at Estu. "**Her son… his**-"

"Marlene, I want you to run. Run as fast as you can. I'll try to stop him from following," Estu whispered.

"I… I can't." He felt her grab his arm. Estu briefly tensed up, then turned back to Chaos. The demon's lip curled up, revealing sharp teeth.

"**Look at you. Scared. Pathetic. Ridiculous little humans**."

His heart raced but he looked up at Chaos, keeping his eyes on the demon, his voice even, "You do realize I'm not human… right? They called my predecessor a demon, a god. Why on Gaia would I fear you?"

Chaos scoffed at him. "**Don't delude yourself. The only threat was Jenova… and you don't have nearly as much power as the one before you. You're just the progeny of that idiot of a woman who had the bright idea of trapping me**." He lifted a claw, looking at it in annoyance. "**And I know for a fact that you reject the idea that you and Sephiroth are one and the same. You're forgetting I'm always there. Where that human fool is, I am.**"

"Uncle Vincent!" Marlene called out. The demon rushed forward, stopping just short of the two.

"**Your voice is rather annoying. Are you aware of this**?" He lifted a claw, about to slash at her.

"Don't you _dare_!" Estu shouted, drawing his sword and countering the strike. The demon smirked in amusement as Estu held the claw back. "Marlene, run!" But she seemed frozen in place. Estu grabbed her wrist in his right hand, pulling her away from the demon. With a flap of his large red wings, Chaos moved over the stairs. Estu and Marlene ran down the dim corridor instead, Estu barely able to see in the darkness. He could hear her quick breathing behind him, could feel the wind rushing past his face and Marlene's tiny hand gripped in his own. He heard a loud crash behind him, and his heart skipped a beat as he pulled Marlene forward. He slowed, looking at a wall in front of him. "D- dead end!?"

"I'm scared," Marlene said, holding onto his sleeve.

"**You should be**."

Estu felt his blood run cold. He quickly let go of Marlene's hand and slashed at the demon. Chaos easily dodged the strike. Estu swung again, casting Bio. The spell hit Chaos, but he simply shrugged it off. And ice spell fired towards him, though it did little. Chaos laughed, lifting Vincent's gun, though the gun itself looked different, a plus shaped barrel in place of the ornamented Cerberus heads. Estu pulled his knife from his pocket, flipping it open and casting fire, though it too did next to nothing. Chaos gave another sinister smirk as he took aim.

A sudden convulsion went through the demon's body. His wings folded in and he collapsed to the ground. "**No. What are you doing? **_**Hahaha…**_** No! **_**Something wrong, Chaos**__?_" Estu didn't have time to listen to the demon's monologue, instead pushing Marlene past him, trying to get her away from danger. A large ball of energy rocketed past him, demolishing the stairs he was going to use to escape.

"Here, this way," he said, moving towards a door near the stairs. He pulled it open, then quickly stepped back, finding himself face to face with the outside of the airship. Marlene pulled at his arm, but he stood, petrified with fear.

"Come on! He's going to catch up!" she said. He shook his head, he could feel the wind, see the distant ocean underneath… _Ace what's wrong!?_ Crashing, falling, plummeting down… _Controls are jammed… Shit! _"Estu, we have to go!" A crash behind him startled Estu out of the trance. He ran across the deck looking for another way back into the airship. _Don't look down, don't look down_… Another crash behind him made Estu quicken his pace. The narrow bridge the walked across seemed unsteady, able to fall at any moment. _Don't think that. Don't look down. Don't look down…_

The bridge suddenly shook and leaned down. Estu gripped a rail, knuckles white from holding so tightly. Another tremor through the bridge, and part of it dropped, leaving him and Marlene holding on to the railing. Estu's legs dangled over what felt like an endless drop. His grip on the rail tightened and he shut his eyes, too scared to move.

"We need to keep going," Marlene said, putting one hand over the other, moving along the rail like she would climb on a jungle gym. Estu shook his head. He couldn't let go of the rail, not even for a second. "C'mon, you won't fall, trust me!"

"I can't do it!" he yelled over the flapping of wings that quickly approached.

"I'm not moving any more until you do," she said. Estu opened his eyes to look at her, just a foot away from the rest of the bridge, almost to relative safety. He took a breath, then slowly shimmied across the rail. "You're doing good, just a bit more," Marlene said, trying to encourage him. She climbed up to the intact portion of the bridge, then held out a hand towards him. Estu kept moving, making his way towards her, painfully slowly. He reached a hand towards hers when he came closer.

Chaos suddenly descended. Estu, in a panic, fumbled and grabbed back onto the rail. Marlene screamed in fear, trying to cast magic at the demon. Chaos seemed to be preparing another attack, but his body shuddered again.

"**Fool. You can't… you can't control me. I am entropy, disorder, I do not yield to- ack!**" Marlene pulled Estu onto the bridge, eyes still wide with fear. "_**Vinnie, do something!**_** Shut up! Shut up! **_**You shut up… hahaha. **_**…No!**"

A large fist came down on the bridge. Estu didn't even have time to grab another rail. He and Marlene plummeted towards the sea below. "Marlene!" he shouted over the rushing wind. He reached for her hand as he fell, down to what he feared would be their deaths. His vision blurred, making it difficult to see her… to see anything. He was vaguely aware of a hand holding his as he lost consciousness.

* * *

><p>Within the dark corridor, the struggle for control was underway. Chaos and Hellmasker pulled at each other, each trying to get out of the door, each pulling the other back. While it was open, Vincent could hear a cry for him, Estu trying to get Marlene to hurry away.<p>

Hellmasker was tossed back in. "**Wait… hang on**," he ran towards the door again, chainsaw buzzing.

"**Fool. You can't… you can't control me**." Behind him, Galian Beast growled at the other demon.

Hellmasker was tossed in again. "**Heh… this isn't working. They're gonna fall.**"

"No!" Vincent ran forward, though a half solid tendril of darkness pulled him back. "Let me go!" Hellmasker slashed at one of the tendrils with his chainsaw, running through the doorway again. Chaos was tossed back into the corridor, though this time Hellmasker held onto him.

"**Vinnie, do something**!"

"**Shut up**!" Chaos hissed.

"What can_ I_ do?

"**Shut up!"**

"**You shut up… hahaha**."

Vincent looked over at the door, left open, and ran towards it. **"No**!" Dark energy rushed past him and the sounds of two screams echoed into his mind. _I promised I'd protect her… No!_ Vincent ignored the energy and ran through. "**Stop! Stop, don't**!" Chaos shouted.

Vincent opened his eyes, looking around at a bright blue sky, and at the airship that quickly moved away from him. He was falling. Out of instinct, he threw his arms out, though he knew it would do little to save him. Two taloned claws were what he saw.

Vincent didn't think, instead quickly turning his attention to Marlene and Estu, falling below him. He streamlined his body, trying to speed his fall. He took one of them in each his arms, careful not to hurt them and spread the red bat-like wings he found he had. They slowed for a few moments before Vincent flew back up. Estu had gone limp, apparently unconscious, but Marlene looked up in confusion. Something sparked in her eyes the moment they met his. "…Vincent?" He didn't answer, trying to concentrate on getting back up to the airship.

When he made it up, he carefully set the two onto the intact portion of the bridge. Marlene grinned. "It really is you! You're okay!" she said excitedly.

"**I am… I'm sorry**," his voice echoed slightly. He looked at the open door that led back into the _Shera_. Marlene quickly nodded and went inside. Vincent tossed Estu over his shoulder and followed.

They sat for a few moments, Marlene looking over Vincent's form, fascinated. Vincent flexed the claws on his hands uncomfortably. "You gonna change back now?" the girl asked.

"**I'm not sure… this hasn't ever happened before**," he admitted. Estu stirred slightly, then sat up, rubbing the back of his head before looking up at the two. His eyes widened in panic the second he saw Vincent, hand quickly going to his sword. "**Don't. It's me**."

"…Vincent?" Estu asked incredulously. "I don't believe it. Prove it."

"**How am I to do that, exactly**?" Vincent asked.

"Hmmph, I don't know. Guess the fact that you aren't trying to kill us is enough," Estu said. He still shook slightly and hugged his knees to his chest.

Marlene frowned with concern. "Are you okay?" she asked. "You fainted again."

"I did _not_!" Estu objected.

"Estu, you just woke up."

"Did not! I… I… I just…" Estu sighed. "You know, as soon as we land I am _NEVER_ getting back on an airship again. _EVER_." She giggled. "I'm serious. It's _not_ going to happen. And _you_," he glared over at Vincent, "That's really great timing you have! Do you realize she could have died? You slip up and I have to pick up the slack, of course while we're flying!"

"**Thank you**," Vincent interrupted. "**I'm sorry. I thought maybe… maybe I had control over him. I suppose I was wrong**."

Estu paused, looking up at Vincent. "It… it wasn't your fault."

"**Whether or not it was my fault… if either of you had gotten hurt-**"

"But we're not. Look, both of us are fine. I mean… _I'm_ traumatized," he joked, "but I was already as afraid of heights as I could be. Really."

_He's trying to make me feel better… huh… he's come a long way_. "**Traumatized? You know, you aren't that great at comforting people,**" Vincent observed nonetheless.

"Oh,_ sorry_. Maybe I can just point out the fact that you view yourself as a monster and hate yourself like you did with me."

"Now you're just being insensitive," Marlene said.

"You're insinsit- …damn it." After a moment, he laughed nervously, glancing back at Vincent. "So do you want to turn back now? You're a little creepier than usual like that."

"**I'm not really sure how… I think I'm stuck**."

Marlene gasped. "Oh no! You're stuck like that? It'll be okay, I'll make sure people don't make fun of you, I-"

"That might help us when we land in Edge," Estu pointed out.

"Estu, quit worrying about that! Can't you see he's-"

"**Actually… I think this _will_ be helpful. Chaos may have just given me the edge we need**," Vincent said, standing. "**I'll have to rework my strategy with Cid."**

"Um… Maybe one of us should go with you. You look terrifying," Estu pointed out.

"Here," Marlene said, untying her ribbon and putting on one of the bony spikes on Vincent's head. "Now you don't look as threatening."

Vincent chuckled, though he immediately regretted it when the distorted, echoing sound caused the two to jump in surprise. "**Sorry. Well can you come with me to talk to Cid? If you aren't… afraid."**

"Why would I be afraid? It's just you," Marlene said. Vincent silently nodded, amazed that she could think that in spite of everything.

"I told you she's brave," Estu said. He tried to stand up, but his legs buckled beneath him. "Um… I'm fine," he said quickly. "I'm just going to… sit. Just for a while. Go on."

Vincent nodded, unfurling his wings. He would have to remember to cover Marlene's ears when the pilot saw him.

True to his prediction, Cid cursed a blue streak the moment he saw Vincent. After he finally calmed down, he agreed that being able to fight in control while transformed could save them. A bit of hope to win.

"So… you had a battle inside your head?" he asked after Vincent explained what had happened.

"**More or less**."

"You do know how _insane_ that sounds, right?" Vincent noticed Tifa and Cloud exchange a look. "Well, as long as it's you and not him… you could probably scare people like that."

"**I can scare people in my normal body**," Vincent pointed out.

Cid laughed. "No #$%^ing kidding." He turned to his crew, some of them as pale as sheets. "Quit gawkin' we've got another half hour to Edge!"

"We'll need to get everyone prepped," Tifa said, walking towards the exit of the control room.

"Yeah… almost show time." Cid looked back at the stretch of land below them. They're last fight was quite literally right before them.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Thanks for being patient everyone. I'm going to try to get the last two chapters up in a timely fashion, but we'll just have to see how things work out on my end. Now if it isn't too much trouble, I have a poll posted on my profile so if you had a free minute and wanted to answer in that it would be really awesome. :) Remember that reviews are always greatly appreciated as well. **


	47. Chapter 47

Vincent felt the ship slowly lower in altitude. It was almost time. He glanced at the talons on his hands, a bit of apprehension rising. The crew members were taking care to avoid looking at him, though he could actually feel their fear. It radiated from them, a strange, almost solid substance. He almost felt as though if he reached out he could grasp the fear, roll it around in his claws. Vincent wondered if that was something Chaos could actually do.

"Hey, Cid!" Yuffie's voice called out as the door to the control room opened. "Hey, where's… Vince?" She looked over at him.

"**Right here**," he said, trying to keep his voice low. It still sounded strange, echoing across the room and startling Shera.

"…What happened, Vinnie?"

"**It's… a long story**."

She pursed her lips for a moment, then ran over and grabbed him by the arm. "C'mon, I need to check up on a few things."

"**But**-"

"C'mon Vinnie… Vincent," she said. He pulled his arm away from her but followed out to the hallway. "You looked like you didn't want to be in there," Yuffie said. He really hadn't, but at the same time, didn't want to leave in fear of scaring anyone else on board. "So… what happened?" Vincent looked down. "Please tell me. Vincent… are you going to be okay?"

"**I… don't know**," he admitted. He quickly told her of the strange fight between his demons and what had occurred afterwards. "**It seems I'm stuck in this form for now… transformations don't usually last this long**."

"No kidding… so is what Maskie said true?"

"**Did you**_** really**_** just call him that?**" Yuffie nodded earnestly. "**I don't know… It might be. Perhaps bits of myself had to fill in for the transformations. If that's true then, in a way, I've been fighting myself… aside from Chaos, of course. But… maybe he borrowed bits of me to create his own personality. Perhaps I'm just as much a part of him as he's a part of me. …Great, I've been talking to **_**myself**_** all these years? Does that make me insane?"**

"Maybe just a little. But you're in good company then."

"**Well… thank you. I think. But do I not… scare you? Chaos has tried hurting you in the past…**"

"And I've dealt with him. Since when has he scared me?" Vincent thought back to the day Yuffie stabbed the demon with the Proto-materia shard. He looked down at her arm, where five pinprick scars were still visible. Yuffie noticed his eyes stray down. "It… it wasn't you, Vincent."

"**But it was**."

"No. I refuse to believe that. Come on, you're not a bad person."

"**I've made so many mistakes…**"

"And that's what's so great about you," she said, smiling. "There's no one on the planet who's worked harder to make amends because of that. You're probably one of the most selfless people I know. Anyway… you have to see a few good things that came out of what happened. If you hadn't been there… we probably wouldn't have met. You wouldn't be here for any of what's happened. And… even if it wasn't Lucrecia who was used for the project, it would have been someone else. They would have used someone else and there wouldn't be a thing anyone could do about it. Nothing would have changed. This whole Deepground thing would have happened anyway regardless. …Estu wouldn't exist, though. And without you… I don't know how we would have made it through all this. So… there's been a few good things."

"**Perhaps**," he admitted.

"…So are we still on for that date then?"

_How can she even... when I'm like this? ...Perhaps I didn't give her enough credit. _"**I don't break my promises**," he said, a bit stiffly. Yuffie grinned. "**That's all I can promise, though… and… well…**" He upholstered his gun and plucked out the Cerberus summon. "**Give this back to me after today… can you keep that promise?**"

Yuffie looked at the glowing red materia. "You're giving this to me?"

"**Lending… give it back tomorrow**." She seemed to understand what he was _really_ asking of her. Stay safe long enough to give it back.

"Okay… Cerberus in Death Penalty isn't as funny anyway," she said.

"**No…**" He looked up when he felt the ship touch down. "**Well… looks like we're here**."

Yuffie nodded, glancing back out of the airship. "Yeah. So… I'll see you tomorrow?"

He nodded solemnly as she ran off the ship.

* * *

><p>"So our objective… just get this kid up to a radio tower?" Cloud asked again, glancing back at Walter.<p>

Cid nodded, lighting a cigarette. "He broadcasts the signal and takes Stratus out. We'll hold up at the edge of town long as we can but with as many as they've got we need his help if we're gonna get in." Cloud nodded. "I'm givin' you the Turks. We want this sort of quiet. Just be there if he needs his ass saved, alright?"

"Yeah. So, Walter, do you at least have a weapon you can fight with?"

Walter's eyes widened. "I… I can't fight."

"At all?" He shook his head. _Great_… "Well we should get going before we get noticed then." Cloud looked over at the three Turks, standing near Kunsel and the militia. "Come on, let's get in there." Rude nodded seriously and walked over, followed by Reno, a cocky smile on his lips and a jolt stick slung over his shoulder. Cissnei hesitated, and then quickly embraced Kunsel before following. The ex-SOLDIER seemed a bit surprised, a flush of red coloring his cheeks, though he swiftly regained his composure and began giving commands to the militia. Cloud notice Estu within the ranks, white jacket buttoned to his chin to keep out the frigid air. Their eyes met briefly before he looked away, towards Edge and the ruins of Midgar. Thick smog covered the city. Visibility would be limited. Cloud clenched his fists and started towards Edge.

They entered the city quietly; Cissnei was able to take out a few of the guards from afar. Cloud couldn't help but cringe at what had become of the city. Streets were lined with cobbled together shelters, plywood and cardboard stacked haphazardly, bricks and dust from recently fallen buildings were scattered across the streets, the overwhelming sense of hopelessness hung in the air. Lips set in a narrow line, Cloud moved on, keeping Walter close to him. The teen was shaking, his breathing heavy as he struggled to keep up and his eyes wide as he looked around the city. He held tightly onto the strange device he'd crafted, though Cloud was afraid it might break in his vice grip… then again, Walter probably wasn't strong enough to crush the device even if he wanted to. Reno glanced around a corner and signaled for the group to follow.

"Streets haven't been this empty since that damn Bahamut scared everyone off, eh Rude?"

"What Bahamut?" Cissnei asked.

"Never mind, had to be there."

They continued on until Cloud looked up, spotting a radio tower. "There's one. Just North-West of here."

"How the hell do you see in this smog?" Reno asked. Cloud quickly gestured towards his glowing eyes. "Oh… right, mako," he muttered, rubbing the back of his head. He started towards another alleyway but quickly jerked back. "Not that way," he muttered.

Cloud could hear the faint sound of footsteps behind him. "Left," he decided, but he stopped as a group of Deepground soldiers turned a corner. They raised their guns as they spotted them. Cloud drew his sword. "…Well all right then. Cissnei, Rude, Reno, you three keep Walter and the anti-Stratus machine safe." He stared the troops in front of him down. "Bring it on!"

* * *

><p>Estu looked over the militia members. A quiet energy seemed to radiate from them, at once fearful and determined. He gripped his sword, trying to reassure himself. Ami stood close to him, hands hovering over the two guns at her sides. They waited for the Deepground troops to meet them. Kunsel was first to spot the approaching troops. "It's starting. Stay with your squads! We'll win this! We'll take Edge back! The planet back!"<p>

Discord swiftly descended on the battlefield. Estu kept close to Ami's side, letting her shoot at enemies from afar while he slashed at any who made it near enough to pose a threat to them. _We have to make it out of this… can't lose her… focus, Estu. Focus._ The sharp sounds of battle rang in his ears. He tried to block it out, but it all seemed unnaturally loud. At once he felt as though the world was moving both too fast and too slow.

"Keep it together!" he heard a shout from Kunsel.

Estu quickly held his sword up against a spear wielding Stratus soldier. An image flashed in his mind - the slightly pixilated image of a training program, Nero's skillful parry. He quickly copied the movement, disarming the Soldier before plunging his wakizashi through his heart. _I'm sorry_. He hoped Walter would be able to disable the soldiers before any more were killed.

* * *

><p>Cloud ran forward to meet the troops, swinging the large sword he carried with ease. One approached him from the side. He dodged the attack and cast lightning while blocking another strike with his sword. He wished he had First Tsirugi on him. He could have split the swords into two, could have fought off the enemies with both swords, but he was stuck with what he had.<p>

He glanced back at the Turks and Walter. They were protecting him on all sides, keeping the Deepground soldiers away. The teen seemed to have an idea. He set his device on the ground and plugged a few cables in. "Cloud! Cast an electric attack here!" he yelled, holding up a plug._ Is he insane?_ "C'mon, just do it!"

Cloud cast the weakest lightning he could, zapping the boy along with the machine. As he fell, it instantly whirled to life, sending a pulse of the anti-stratus waves. Cloud felt the impact of them as a splitting pain went through his head. It was a difficult feeling to describe – it seemed at once like a high pitched sound and a burning sensation, like mako coursing through veins. He fell to a knee, struggling to stay conscious. Meanwhile, nearly half the soldiers around them collapsed, not writing in pain, simply out cold.

The Turks easily took care of what remained of the soldiers as Cloud struggled back to his feet and tried to keep the ones in front of him away from Walter. With them defeated he glanced back at the others.

"Everyone all right?" Rude nodded, wiping blood from a cut on his forehead already healed with a potion. Reno rotated his shoulder a few times as he looked around the alley way for a decent path forward. Cissnei strolled over to Walter, helping the boy to his feet.

The boy's hair stood on end from the electric attack. "Hey! It worked! That's kind of exciting!"

"You didn't think that would work?" Reno asked.

"I was kind of winging it, to be honest… But it worked! And-" He stopped, taking a short breath. He seemed to struggle for a moment, then took an inhaler from his pocket and taking a few puffs of the medicine. "…We need to get up to the tower. This smog isn't doing me much good."

"Right," Cloud agreed. "C'mon, we'll take it slow… we're almost there."

"I don't wanna take it slow. I'm fine, really," Walter said.

Cloud shrugged and carried on. They managed to reach the tower without any further struggles. Walter entered first and began setting the machine up. "So you push a button and they all fall?" Reno asked.

"Basically, yes. …Cloud, you might want to sit down. …It's probably going to hurt. I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it," he said, bracing himself.

"Okay then… Three, two, one-" Pain, the sound of static, and the world fading into darkness. Cloud lost consciousness before he even fell to the ground.

* * *

><p>Vincent was high over Edge when he saw the Stratus troops fall. "<em>They're down<em>," said Cid over the walky-talky he'd given Vincent.

"**I can see that**."

"_Any signs of the HQ from up there_?"

"**Afraid not… wherever it is, it's well hidden.**"

"_Try picking off some of these troops then, our guys are gonna need it_."

"**Understood,**" he said, folding his wings back and diving through the air. His lips pulled up in a twisted grin as he spotted the legion of troops**. Kill them, kill them all. Everything dies.** He shook his head. _Keep it together_. Vincent drew his gun and shot at the incoming troops.

* * *

><p>"Cloud?" He opened an eye to find Cissnei standing over him.<p>

"I'm awake," he muttered, sitting up. His head still rang from the stratus waved. "You get 'em?" he asked Walter. The teen nodded, a half smile on his lips. "Good. We'll get you to safety and then help everyone else in the fight. But first-"

He was cut off by the sound of gunshots outside the tower building. Cloud struggled to his feet and looked out the window. They were surrounded by a squadron of Deepground troops. "Shit," Reno said, looking out next to him. "Damn, we're in a tight spot!"

"No kidding-" A bullet flew through the window, making both of them duck down.

"Damn, we're in a tight spot!"

"You said that," Cissnei said, looking irate. She pulled a mirror from her pocket.

"C'mon, this ain't the time to freaking look at yourself."

"Reno, with all due respect, please shut up." She angled the mirror so she could look out the window without entering the line of fire. Cissnei closed her eyes for a moment, thinking about the angle she'd need to throw her shuriken at. She quickly jumped up and tossed it out the window, knocking out a support beam on one of the weakened buildings near them. It crashed down on the enemy soldiers. Cissnei jerked her head towards the door. "Taken care of, let's go."

Cloud looked around the street when they exited the building. They would need to head back to the Shera. He started towards the edge of town but a loud shot echoed behind him. _Did Cissnei miss one!?_ He turned, holding up his sword to block further attacks, and looked at the crew behind him. They were all fine. _Then… who was shot? _ He looked at the Deepground member near them slowly crumple to the ground as a lone man stepped out of the alleyway, the gun clutched in his hand still smoking.

"Tseng?" Rude asked first, surprising them all. They looked at the man as well as he lifted his head.

"Well… you all managed to let things get out of hand, didn't you?" Tseng asked.

"Holy shit, you're okay," Reno said.

Tseng raised an eyebrow. "Yes… obviously."

"But how, sir?" Cissnei asked.

"A man by the name of Tine helped me out… any of you know him?" Cloud shook his head, though he noticed Walter stiffen slightly. He dismissed any concern over it, though when they heard a second gunshot. "Looks like there's still a few around. So now what, Cloud?"

"We get back to the ship, then we end this all."

The Turk nodded. "Good answer."

* * *

><p>With nearly half the troops out cold, they were able to get further into the city. Estu kept close to Ami still. After fighting their way through a few streets, she frowned. "Any of this look familiar yet?"<p>

"We're still in Edge, need to make it over to Midgar," he pointed out. But at that point, the gate of the metropolis was visible, they just needed to make it there.

After what felt like hours of running and fighting, they made it to the gate. A gaping hole had already been blown through it. "We get in, get on the train, ride to the top, then…"

"Find them… somehow," Estu said. He looked around the abandoned slums of the underplate. They met Kunsel and many of the WRO troops who had already managed to secure a working train. It was crowded on board, but he had to go with the first group to go up.

Kunsel was stuck in conversation on his hone. "The first bit here will be insane, send reinforcements ASAP… good thing Stratus is done for, we'd be goners. Still everything else Weiss has cooked up though."

As the train climbed, Estu kept himself from looking out at the ground quickly growing distant. They disembarked at the top and he looked around at the city. An image of what Midgar had looked like, seven years previous, flashed in front of his eyes. "This is working… I think I'll be able to find it."

Ami grinned, "Great! Let's look around. I still know where everything is pretty much." Estu nodded as they searched the streets. After a few minutes, Ami began to look around nervously.

"What's wrong?" Estu asked.

"Its just that we haven't seen any troops in a while and… OH GODS, ESTU!"

"What!?" he looked around, finding himself face to face with a firing squad. Without even taking the time to think, he stepped in front of Ami. "Don't shoot. Weiss has stated he wants me alive," he said.

"Yeah, he does. Not her though," one of them said, gesturing to Ami.

"I'll go quietly, just leave her alone."

"Hell no you won't!" Ami said.

"Yeah, we heard from Rosso you tried that trick before." _Damn it. _

"Well... Okay then, RUN!" He and Ami took off, racing down a different alleyway as the noise of bullets hitting the ground sounded behind them. Estu looked at the split paths in front of them. "Go that way, I'll meet you back in a minute. She looked as though she was going to refuse, but the sound of the soldiers grew louder. They split up, Estu running down.

_Just lose them, then find Ami, then find the HQ_… He kept repeating his list in his head, trying to focus his mind. A group of soldiers stood in front of him. He drew his sword and knife, deflecting bullets and casting fire at them. A few more swipes with his sword and they fell. Estu grinned at his victory, until a large fist crashed down near him. The twisted form of a Behemoth rose up, towering over him. Estu held his sword out, but it swiped at him anyway, sending him flying back.

Estu was knocked backwards, landing painfully against a wall. Blood dribbled from his mouth where he'd bitten his lip on impact. He winced as he tried to hold up his sword against yet another strike. More soldiers had arrived. There were simply too many of them. He stared at one of the Behemoths, quickly approaching. He stood, ignoring his pain and braced himself for one last defense.

A sudden flash of steel and the clang of metal split the air. An orange haired man braced himself against the soldiers' weapons, keeping them away from Estu. "Argento?" he asked in surprise.

"Hmmph… who else?" the man muttered, spinning and slashing at the soldier. "Hey, a little help would be great!"

"Right," Estu said. He drew his pocket knife and flipped it open, letting loose a stream of fire. Meanwhile Argento slashed at the enemies, keeping them at bay. After a few minutes, a path forward became clear and Argento grabbed at Estu's sleeve. Estu immediately pulled back, away from him. "Don't do that!"

"For #$%^'s sake, Nero! Would you get over your weird touching thing for two seconds!?" Argento snapped. "…Estu. Sorry. Come on, we need to get out of this." Estu nodded, quickly following behind Argento as he ran towards the building. They ducked inside and Argento quickly barricaded the door before looking out a window to make sure they weren't followed. "…Are you okay?"

For a moment Estu was taken aback by the concern in his voice. "Yeah… Yeah, just a little roughed up." Argento nodded, sheathing his swords. "I don't understand. Argento, why did you do that?"

"…Can't let you die just yet. I owe you that much. Or at least…. I owe him." He looked up at Estu, orange eyes piercing into him. "What the hell were you doing on your own?"

"I got separated. I need to get back. I have to help them find the old headquarters."

"The underground labs?" Argento asked.

Estu nodded. "Yeah. They're..." he shut his eyes, trying to find the memory of where they were. "They're in Midgar, what used to be sector eight… I can get through from…"

"Our old house," Argento said. Estu blinked his eyes open and looked up at him. "There's a passage through our house… it'll get you down there."

"Thank you."

Argento shook his head. "Don't. Come one, you need to get back to everyone else… you'll need them, or at least… Valentine is the only one who can beat him. If Father is going to channel Omega-"

"Chaos is its opposite."

"Yeah. Only thing is… well come on, you can lead him through. The rest are going to have to keep fighting up here." Argento quickly smashed his way through a back window. He leapt onto the sill, then turned to Estu, balancing on the balls of his feet. "You coming, Ne… Estu?"

Estu looked away from him, feeling uncomfortable. "Er... well…"

Argento picked up on his hesitation, giving a heavy sigh. "I know it won't matter now, but I shouldn't have done what I did back in that cave. I'm just trying to help… maybe be able to even my debt. I'm not surprised you don't trust me, but we don't really have time for you to just stand there. So… are you coming?"

"Yeah," Estu said, quickly following through the window. Argento looked around trying to find a good way through the chaos of crashing buildings and gunfire. "But I still don't understand, why aren't you helping Weiss?"

Argento shook his head, running past piles of rubble, towards the imposing remains of the Shinra building. He looked ahead at a tank Deepground had set up. "#$%^, they really pulled everything out for this…" He looked back at Estu. "If I… distract them for a bit, can you take out the tank driver?"

"I don't…"

"You need to. That's the only way we're getting through this, understand?" he asked. Estu nodded, getting ready to sprint towards the tank. "You wait a moment, then go…" He took a deep breath then ran away from the heap of gravel, waving his swords, making himself as visible as possible. Estu sprinted towards the tank, leaping onto it before drawing his wakizashi. The driver put up a brief and futile attempt to defend himself within the confines of the vehicle. Estu glanced back at Argento who was making his way past groups of Deepground soldiers.

"It's a bit further this way," Estu said as Argento caught up with him. The man nodded. Estu noticed his eyes shone with an odd excitement and his swords and clothes were slick with blood. "…Are you-"

"Am I what?" Argento asked testily, cutting him off.

"Nothing. Let's just go."

They traveled through the city for a few minutes, avoiding troops when possible, fighting when not. Eventually, Estu saw a few of the white coated WRO members. He ran towards them and helped one of them take down one of the large beasts attacking them.

"Thanks kid," a familiar voice said. Estu glanced up at Kunsel, holding his sword a bit low to the ground. "Where's the rest of your squad? And… Is that Argento!?"

Estu glanced back. "He-"

"Yeah. Problem, SOLDIER?" Argento asked.

"Considering you're of Deepground…"

"Formerly of Deepground… SOLDIER," he said, glaring slightly.

Kunsel shook his head. "I don't have time for this."

"Take him out," one of the WRO officers demanded.

"Hey wait!" Estu stepped in front of him. "Don't do anything hasty alright? He's not fighting against us."

"That bastard killed three of my squad mates. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't shoot him on the spot."

Estu swallowed. "He's showing us where the Deepground labs are." Argento gave him a look, clearly questioning what he was doing. "I… I can't remember," he lied. "I can't remember the exact address, so he's the only one who knows."

"Good enough reason if you ask me," Kunsel pointed out. The WRO officer held his glare of utter hatred for a moment before nodding and turning away. Kunsel pulled his phone from his pocket. "Captain Highwind? Right, we've got the address." He looked up at Argento.

"7532 West Mako Boulevard," Argento said.

"Kunsel repeated, then waited a moment. "Good… You'll relay the info to Valentine? …Alright, we'll be ready to back him up." He flipped the phone shut. "We'll need to head down there… Estu, you'll be able to get him in?"

"I can do that much," Estu said.

"Good," Kunsel replied. "Then let's get down there."

They traveled for a few minutes. Though the battle in Edge still raged, Estu felt a bit safer, surrounded by the WRO troops and militia members. Kunsel flipped his phone open when they came to a quiet spot. "Just a few more blocks… Valentine's already in," he reported.

"There's a switch on the bookshelf of the bottom floor he'll need to press," Argento said. "It's under-"

"A biochemistry text book," Estu said instinctively.

"What he said… right."

Kunsel relayed the information. "Good… We'll just need to get up there to back him up."

As they started moving again, Argento ran forward. "C'mon, I'll show where it is!"

"Hey, wait up!" Estu said, running to catch up to him. His heart skipped a beat when he heard a loud crash from behind him. He whipped his head around and stared at the large building that had split the group in two. "Damn it, not again!" He ran towards the fallen building, shouting, "Kunsel! Kunsel, you there!?"

"Yeah! Go on ahead, kid, we'll just take a detour."

He hesitated, looking back at Argento who impatiently waited on him. "...Okay. Good luck!" On his own again, he ran back towards Nero's old home.

* * *

><p>With Walter back at the ship, Cloud looked back at Edge. "Ready, Cid?"<p>

"Just about," the pilot said. He turned to his wife. "Make sure the crew doesn't screw up. There's at least two I don't trust."

"I'll handle it… Cid, be careful."

"I'm always careful, ain't I?"

Shera shook her head. "Not even close."

Cid sighed. "Well… I'll come back alive. For both of ya, I swear." _Both of who? …Not important right now_. "C'mon Spiky, let's go get 'em!" Cid said, holding up his spear.

Cloud nodded, looking over at Tifa, Nanaki, and Yuffie. "Like old times?"

"Almost," Tifa replied, giving a sad smile. Cloud clenched a fist._ I'll fight for them too, then. Reeve, Barret, Aerith… if you can see us… give us strength. We're gonna need it._

The remains of AVALANCHE entered the fight together, unified for the first time in quite a while.

* * *

><p>When they arrived at the house, Estu was hit by a strange rush of déjà vu. He'd seen it in his dreams, the place where Nero and Tine had grown up. Argento entered the still open door silently, looking around for the bookshelf. It too had been left open. "We need to hurry. I'm sure after Valentine went in Father sent troops to stop him."<p>

Estu nodded and looked past the shelf, down into the dark tunnel. A memory flashed through his mind - Nero made his way down until the tunnel sloped off, dropping steeply. He leapt off the edge and fell for a few moments before easily landing onto a cushion at the bottom. "There's a drop."

"It's underground," Argento said.

"But… I … I can't."

"Are you #$%^ing kidding me? Just go! Valentine will need back up."

"You don't understand… I… I can't do it." A sudden rumbling from the other side of the house caught him off guard. "What was…?"

"They're here already… Shit!" Argento drew his swords. "Go."

"But what about you?" Estu asked.

"I'll… I'll hold them off. It's the only way. …This is it." His fists tightened around the swords. "Go."

"But Tine!"

Argento laughed. "…There's his voice again. Nero… you gave me five years. I might be able to buy you five minutes… I'm sorry. About everything. Now get the hell out of here!" Estu took a few steps back. The noise grew louder. "Go! Now! Five minutes."

Estu nodded, turning and running down the tunnel. The sounds of metal echoed behind him as he approached the drop. He took a deep breath, trying to slow his racing heart. It should have been so simple, taking one step and then falling. He could hear the battle still raging. _…One step. For… what you've done… I owe you that much._ A blood curdling scream echoed through the tunnel as he took the step and fell through the darkness, but in his terror Estu couldn't tell if it was his own or Argento's.

* * *

><p>In the end, the fight had lasted seven minutes. He hadn't just held them off, he'd stopped them completely, but at a heavy cost…<p>

Argento slowly regained consciousness.

Pain… so much pain…

But the pain was good. It let him know he was still alive. Barely. He was marginally aware of how broken his body was, the heat of his still flowing blood, left leg at an awkward angle. Strangely enough, it seemed as though the pain was fading, replaced by a strange coldness.

"Gods, what a mess…" A voice broke the fog that had begun to cloud his mind. The militia had arrived, it seemed.

"Go down there, try to help Vincent if you can." The voices and accompanying footsteps quickly grew near. They suddenly stopped short.

"…Holy shit. Argento."

"He's hurt. Someone get a medic!"

"No point. By the time they get here…"

He noticed someone crouch near him, the helmeted SOLDIER. "...Valentine get in there okay?" Try as he might, Argento couldn't get his voice to work. He nodded his head, sending another shot of pain through him. "Jarim, this guy needs treatment."

"Told you, ain't no point. The guy's done for," a deep voice responded.

Kunsel stood. "I'll call for them myself then." He flipped a phone open and had a quick conversation. "Hang on, they'll be here soon… Everyone else, we need to get down there."

Argento could hear the sounds of footsteps passing him. He reached out and grasped an ankle, the closest one he could find. "Please… don't leave me alone." The words left his lips before he could stop them. His voice sounded so … weak… pathetic. …Well, perhaps at that point… that was okay. "I don't want to be alone," he said more clearly.

"…Okay." It was a young woman's voice who answered. The girl sat as the others left. She glanced down at Argento, probably looking over his beaten and broken body. Her grey eyes narrowed slightly as Argento coughed. "Are you in pain?" she asked.

"Yeah… " Her lips twitched. "nothing I can't handle though," he added quickly. "So what's your name?"

"…Ami," she replied.

"Ami… heh, his sister?"

She blinked. "You know? Well… yes. Estu's sister."

"Small world," Argento said. "But you want to be down there with him?"

"Yeah. I do want to."

"You're afraid."

She looked down. "Yeah."

"…He'll be okay. Guy managed to cheat death after all." He was silent for a moment, then continued, "Except… he didn't… he's not… not Nero, but part of him is. I wonder… if what I did even mattered, if there's even enough of him left to forgive me… after all I…" he let his voice trail off.

"After the fight with you he told me he couldn't hurt you. He still cares about you, even though he doesn't understand why," Ami said.

Argento scoffed at that. "Typical… guess he is in there. ...You know, I wonder… what would've happened if I'd been in his place, him in mine? I wonder if I ever could have been something."

"I think you were," Ami said, giving his hand a squeeze. Her skin felt oddly warm against his… or maybe Argento was just as cold as death. "In the end… you did what was right."

"Think so?" Argento asked, voice shaking.

"Yeah. I… I do think so."

_Did I mean something? …Did I, in the end?_ "Doesn't change what I did before… but… I did as much as I could. Wish I'd had more time. …Wish I'd realized sooner… " he paused, then shook his head slightly. "Can't… can't go any further…" The glow in his eyes slowly faded as they shifted back to a pale brown.

Ami shook her head, he braids swinging slightly. "No, just hold on. Help will come soon. Just hold on." She tried to make her voice sound encouraging, but it only confused Argento.

"How can you sit and comfort me now… after everything?"

Ami glanced away, twirling a finger through her hair as she thought."Because… deep down, we aren't that different. And… I could have so easily done what you did, given the right push. We aren't so different at all."

"Hm… I don't know. I wish… I could have…" But what, exactly. Anything but himself, he supposed. _Regret_... it felt like weight on his chest. He wished he didn't have so much... was this what all people felt in their last minutes? "Ami, can you… promise me something? A… last request?"

"Don't say that, they'll be here soon!"

"…No. No, this is… Please… just one last request while I can still…" He coughed again. He could feel the blood in his lungs, like he was drowning slowly. A cold fog was beginning to creep into his mind. _Don't have time for this. _"So will you do one thing for me?"

Ami nodded. "Of course. What is it?"

"Take... take care of him," he said. "Just …take care of him. And…" he reached into his pocket, pulling out a small twisted metal puzzle. "Give this back for me. It's… it's all I ever kept that he gave me. Said it was impossible to solve… guess he was right since I've been working on the damn thing for fifteen years." He held out the metal puzzle, his vision fading fast. "Can you do that?"

She nodded shakily, taking it. Argento felt a bit of the weight lift. "…And I go first," he mused. "Thought it'd been the other way around. At least… you'll look after him… Thanks. Wish I didn't have to ask…" He tried to take a deep breath, but it caught in his lungs. "…Just… one last… request… for a stranger who stayed with me… and didn't let me die alone. …Thank you."

Ami nodded, the metal in the puzzle cutting into her right hand while she held Argento's in her left. She stayed with him there, in the dim and ruined house, until long after his hand had gone limp and his pulse stopped.

* * *

><p>Estu landed onto the cushion, heart still racing with fear. <em>You're alive. You're fine. You're alive… Keep moving.<em> He pulled himself up and ran down the dark tunnel. "Vincent!?" he called out, looking around for the man. "Vincent!?" Estu ran down the tunnel, calling out. After a while, a glowing yellow pair of eyes turned around, startling him. "Vincent… Good, caught up."

"**Had to… take care of a few of the troops down here**." Estu silently nodded. He could smell their blood lingering in the air. "**We need to hurry if we're to make it to Weiss**."

"Right," Estu agreed as they moved forward. "The others should be here to back us up soon." Vincent nodded.

The crackling of an intercom caught his attention. "_Hmmph.. Valentine, Number Four… I assume you're down there?_"

"Don't you dare call me that you sick-" Vincent waved a claw towards Estu, silencing him.

"_Ha, I suppose that's a 'yes,' then. Now… I assume you, Valentine, have the illusion that you are capable of stopping me."_

"**That is my intention**."

"_Ah, but with Omega on my side… I simply ask that you back down, and that you, Number Four_-"

"I said don't call me that!" Estu shouted.

"_But that's what you are, my boy. The fourth copy, the place holder for my son's soul… But don't worry. I'll save you from that fate soon enough, Nero._" At the end of his sentence, odd towering devices rose from the ground, sparks flying among them.

A low snarl escaped Vincent's throat. "**What are you planning**?"

"_Just getting my son… but first_…" A door on the side of the tunnel opened. "_I'm sorry for this Nero… It wasn't perfect but it was what I could do_."

A figure slowly stepped forth from the door. Estu stared at it for a moment before his jaw fell in shock. The figure in front of them looked down, sword scrapping across the ground. His features were barely distinguishable underneath the metal that covered most his face, but his tangled black hair stood on end around it. Estu stared into the eyes, utterly empty, but glowing red. He could still identify the shell of the man though, he recognized him a thousand times more readily than he would himself.

It moved the same way the Behemoths did, unnatural, jerky… Estu's breath caught as he warily watched it. "Nero…" he whispered, staring as it slowly approached them.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Sorry about the cliffhanger, I know they can be slightly frustrating. The next chapter is the last one. I'm actually kind of sad about that, to be honest. So I thought I'd go ahead and let all of you who have stuck with me this far know that I think each and every one of you are _awesome_ and if we ever somehow manage to meet in real life I AM buying you a cookie. I don't even care if you don't want a cookie, I _will_ take you to the nearest bakery and get you one. So for the next week or two I'm going to work super hard and probably stay up late to finish my last chapter, which is already in the works. Thank you everyone who's read and reviewed, especially the repeat reviewers. You all make me smile and help me keep on writing.**

**One last thing, the poll is still up if anyone wants to participate in that, however if there is a sequel it won't be for a while. But your input is still valued no matter how you answer. Thanks again, everyone.**


	48. Chapter 48 And Epilogue

"Nero…" he whispered, horrified as he stared at the reanimated body, a shell, a twisted reflection of himself. "Why would you… Why would you do this?" Estu asked, trying to keep his voice even.

_"It was more difficult than casting life into one of the Behemoths… but I was able to repair the damage to the body, using a few of the findings from an old… college… of mine." _Next to him, Vincent flexed his claws._ "It isn't perfect, but it's you, my son_."

"That is _not_ me!" Estu yelled, stepping back.

"_I'm just fixing you. You're broken right now, so much you don't even realize. Just don't fight and everything will be okay, son_." Nero's shell looked up, empty eyes flashing in the dim light. "_Watch him destroy Valentine, you'll see how much work I put into this, I'm sure."_

"No! This isn't… This isn't me! I'm me!" Estu shouted.

"_Oh really? And why on Gaia would you say that?_"

"I have an identity Family. Friends. Memories… not many, but enough. And I'm tired of other people telling me who I am. There's overlap, I know. I can't always keep everything from Nero separate from what I think and feel, but I am my own person."

"_You're lying to yourself_."

"Actually... until now I've never been so completely honest," Estu said, raising his sword. "And if you think for a moment that I'm going to let you decide who I am, you're… you're…"

"_You're being an idiot_.'

"You're an idiot!"

The static sound of a sigh crackled over the intercom. _"I didn't want to do this, but it seems you've forced my hand, Nero._" Another sigh, then he spoke quickly to another person. "_Have the shell destroy them... Make sure Nero stays within the machines, the LFT operators will take care of the rest._" There was an affirmative reply, barely audible, as the shell took a step forward. Estu looked around at the large sparking machines that surrounded him.

"LFT..." Estu whispered, the grip on his sword tightening. He understood. This... this was why Weiss wanted him alive until then. He was nothing but a vessel for Nero's soul to Weiss, a last ditch effort to bring his son back.

The shell rushed towards the two of them, a sword sword gripped in its hand. It was incredibly fast, keeping Estu on his toes as he was moved backwards. Vincent leapt in, slashing at Nero's body with claws, his teeth bared in a snarl. "You do realize fighting is a futile effort," Weiss's voice continued. "This creation will never tire, never wear down..." Estu blocked another slash with his sword. "Now while you're busy with that, I have other matters to attend to." The intercom cut off, leaving the only sounds in the tunnel the strikes of steel against steel and claws.

"He's getting away!" Estu said, sidestepping a strike.

"**I know that**," Vincent snapped, catching a sword in his talons The blade cut through slightly, leaving his hand oozing a pitch black fluid, though Vincent didn't seem to notice. Nero's body jumped back then quickly stabbed towards him. Estu, in a flash, parried the attack, surprising himself. _Something about this... seems.._.

"Vincent! I know this!" Estu said excitedly.

"**What?**"

"This fighting! I... I know how he fights!" As he spoke, Nero spun and slashed, something Estu recognized as the style he'd taught Argento. Estu quickly pulled off a defensive move that Nero saved for just such an attack. Vincent drew back a bit, surprised. Estu grinned triumphantly. This was something he could do. He knew every move, every counter, every dodge... He was fighting a reflection. It would just take time to wear it down. "Go after him, I can handle this!"

**"Are you sure?**" Vincent asked.

"Yeah. Just hurry. Don't worry about me, worry about the rest of the world."

Vincent nodded, unfurling his wings and using them to get over the circle of sparking machines. Estu watched as he disapeared, but soon had to defend himself against another attack. _He actually listened... but... I don't know if I can win. I can hold him off though... I'll do that for as long as it takes._ Estu braced himself for a long fight as the sound of Vincent's wings died away.

* * *

><p>Vincent moved through the dark tunnels as quickly as he could. He could sense an electric energy he recognized as mako in the air.<p>

He eventually reached a large chamber, a huge domed ceiling over head. Weiss stood at the center, his white lab coat reflecting the green light of lifestream swirling around, forming a large and imposing shape above - what Vincent could only assume was Omega.

"**Weiss**," Vincent said, stepping towards the man.

Weiss turned; his glasses flashed in the glow of the surrounding mako. A slow and cruel smile spread accross his lips. "Valentine," he said, brushing a few stray strands of his white hair back. "Well... I suppose you left my son-"

"**He isn't your son,**" Vincent spat.

Weiss for a moment seemed taken aback by the venom in Vincent's voice. "Well I suppose that is technically true... though he does hold my dear Nero within him. The rest is just failed experimentation on mine and Hojo's part. So tell me, Valentine, how does it feel to know that you're little more than the work of a psychopath with a scalpel and an advanced degree? I've always been curious."

Vincent didn't have time for banter. He quickly raised Death Penalty up, aiming at Weiss's heart. The old man laughed. "Really? Are we doing this again? You don't think I planned for something like this?" He stopped pacing and held perfectly still. "Would you like to kill me Vincent? I'm sure you do, after everything. After the death of your precious friends? After driving you out of Edge? After poor Cloud Strife's disappearance? The price I put on your friends' heads? After I-" A gunshot rang through the cavern. Weiss fell limply to the ground.

"**Yes... you have no idea how long I've wanted to do that,**" Vincent said, turning.

"How disappointing."

Vincent spun around, looking for the source of the voice. Weiss slowly sat up, blood clearly staining through his white lab coat. ".**..How**?" Vincent asked, surprised.

To answer, Weiss simply looked up at the gathering lifesteam above him. "We're already deep within it, Valentine... And I am a key player in this little battle between WEAPONS. You think the planet would allow my death now?"

"**The planet wants nothing from you!**" Vincent growled, feeling an odd rush of rage. _Keep it together... keep yourself together._

"Ha, I'm sorry, what do you know of the planet's will? ...Ah yes, I suppose you feel the need for destruction that it gave Chaos. But at the moment, nothing within this cavern is capable of dying. The odds are evened, I'm afraid." He casually touched the hole in his chest. "Though that hurt more than I anticipated... No matter. You understand, don't you? I won. There isn't a damn thing you can do!"

"**Then now what? What have you gained? Countless deaths? Two children that hate you? What do you intend to do with all this power and time when all you've been given is endless suffering?**"

"Short sighted, aren't you? In my studies of life energy, I've found that among other things it can be manipulated. Omega will allow what I've already done with the LFT machines on a massive scale. The people will be little more than passive pawns who adore me. My son will lose the memories he's gained in that body. He's wake up as if from a bad dream... Yes, the transfer could have some ill effects on his true memories, but it won't be too difficult to inform him of what he is missing. As for Argento... well, his time is quickly running out. I doubt he'll live to see much more. And finding him and eliminating him will be a simple task."

Weiss took a few steps, looking up at the Omega WEAPON quickly taking shape above them. "He was such a fool... trying so hard and gaining nothing at all... I'll never understand why he couldn't recognize his own uselessness. ...After all, I'm first to admit that he was among my greatest failures. Trying to replicate Nero's success was a mistake. I recognize that... I don't understand how he failed to."

"Either way, I'm sure you know enough about 'endless suffering' but don't you see that that's all life is? A cycle through the planet, over and over... Seems a bit redundant, don't you think? Once I've crafted my world the way I see fit, why not end that cycle?"

"**Because you aren't a god**."

"Yet, Valentine. Yet." He looked up at Omega, now fully solidified above him. "My greatest triumph... so much time spent to reach this goal." He raised the Proto-materia into the air. "Omega! I command you. Do my bidding."

Weiss stumbled back as the ground began to shake. Omega pulled the surrounding strands of lifestream towards it, already seeking more. "No... No, you will do as I command! First destroy your oposite, Chaos." He was ignored by the WEAPON. "Obey me! I hold the Proto-materia, I am the most powerful man in the world. I command life and death... What is it doing!?"

"**What it was intended to do**," Vincent answered warily as the much larger WEAPON brought a large foot crashing down. "**Gathering the planet's lifestream together to start life anew somewhere else.**"

"No! No, I hold the Proto-materia. I control it!" Weiss shouted.

"...**It simply contains the threat of the WEAPONS... it doesn't offer much true control at all.**"

"No!" Weiss screamed. "You're wrong! Wrong! I've planned this out for years! I AM IN CONTROL! I AM LIFE AND DEATH ITSELF! I am-" The floor of the cavern caved in with the WEAPON's weight. Vincent quickly unfurled his wings, hovering in the air. Weiss, meanwhile plummeted down, along with Omega. A deafening crash echoed through the cavern as the shock wave went up. Vincent looked down to see the WEAPON thrash about, still trying to gather the energy around it.

It won't stop until it's carried out it's mission. He knew that... knowledge he imagined seeped into his mind through Chaos's influence. Though he supposed it didn't matter. There was work to be done.

Death Penalty gripped in his clawed hand, he dove through the air to take on Omega.

* * *

><p>Cloud fell back slightly as a sudden tremor was sent through the battle field. "What the hell was that?" he asked out loud, looking around for his companions to make sure they were all safe.<p>

"It felt as though it came from underneath us," Nanaki said.

"Yeah? Wonder why the #$%^ that is," Cid commented, holding off a Deepground soldier with his spear.

"But it did not feel like an ordinary earthquake," Red continued, sounding somewhat annoyed. "I fear Vincent may be in danger."

"Worrying about him isn't gonna do much good now, Red," Cloud pointed out. "He looked ahead at an aproching group of monsters. "We need to get through this," he muttered, holding up his large sword.

"Oh! I've got an idea!" Yuffie said, holding up her shuriken. "Time to use Cerberus."

"Yuffie, I told you, we don't need to worry about Vincent... or his gun," Cloud said. He blinked in surprise as a large three headed dog rose out of the ground and ran towards the approaching monsters. "What... where'd you get that?"

"Vinnie found it a while back... sorry, forgot you weren't there."

"Right," he said, looking ahead at the battle field. "Well we'll mow through these enemies and get back into Midgar. Yuffie, Red, you two take the sides, Cid, Tifa, you two help me get through the thick of this. Everyone stick together. We're all making it through the day, understand?"

"Right spiky!"

Cloud sighed, but didn't respond, already looking ahead to Midgar.

* * *

><p>A bead of sweat rolled down Estu's face as he continued to dodge and sidestep attacks. Though he'd put up a great deal of effort, Nero's body showed no signs of slowing down, it's attacks just as relentless as before. He could tell it would wear him down long before he could strike a decisive blow... even if he could perform a death dealing strike he wasn't sure how much it would do to the shell.<p>

Another swipe of Nero's sword through the air sent him reeling back, then something unexpected, a swift kick connected to his chest, sending him flying back. He recovered in a smooth roll, but still mentally berated himself for not seeing the attack coming. _I need to remember... I know it all, every attack, every defense. Just need to-_ He ducked under a strike, swiftly moving under the blade and cut at Nero's throat. The shell fell, deep red blood spurting from it's neck.

Estu took a few deep breaths and wiped the blood from his sword onto his pant leg. He looked down at Nero's body, frowning slightly. "...So this is it? This was... me?" He shook his head. "No, I'm sorry Nero. I... I owe you a lot. My whole existence. I'm sorry it had to end this way." He paused for a moment, looking away. "...I'm talking to a corpse. What's wrong with me?" He turned and began looking around for a way out of the ring of LFT machines.

As he examined the machines, he heard a slight scraping sound behind him. _More troops?_ he wondered worriedly. He turned his head back, but found nothing. He shook his head, dismissing his apprehension and looked back at the machines. Behind him, Nero's body slowly rose up to its feet and took a step forward.

Estu reacted to the sudden sound just quickly enough duck out of the way of another slash. He stared, horrified, the corpse standing before him, completely drained of blood, head tilted slightly from a few severed sinews. "No!" he yelled blocking another attack, then another, then another...

He missed a parry on one of the sword swipes and Nero slashed across his left shoulder. Estu gasped in pain, running back and drawing his pocket knife. He let loose a large stream of fire, setting one of the machines ablaze and knocking the corpse back enough for him to cast heal on himself. They spell had only partially done it's job when Nero's corpse walked through the flames, it's flesh burned beyond recognition and the metal around it's face molten and dripping. Estu screamed in terror as it rushed at him again. He ran around the ring of machines, desperately looking for a way out. A hand reached out and gripped him by his still injured shoulder. He gasped in pain as he was thrown to the center of the ring.

On his back, his breath knocked out of him, he struggled to flip open his pocket knife. A charred hand grabbed the knife out of his grip and stabbed it through his right hand, pinning it to the ground. Estu fought back tears and tried to stifle his scream of agony as he desperately pulled his hand against the knife. Each motion brought about another burst of pain. Blood poured from the wound, making Estu feel dizzy and light headed. Teeth clenched tightly, he rolled onto his hand, out of the way of a downward stab. His heart raced as he stared upward at the ring of sparking machines around him and the dark shadow standing above.

A sudden tremor shook the ground making Nero's body topple over. Estu didn't hesitate to take advantage of the situation, hurriedly pulling the knife out of his hand, yelping in pain as the sharp blade slipped through it. He dropped the knife on the floor and ran back. Though the ground still shook beneath him, he kept his balance

Over the intercoms, panic voices shouted orders. "_Do it now!_"

"_He's conscious! It isn't going to work_."

"_Look at him bleeding, he won't be conscious long!_"

He felt the ill effects of blood loss, the edge of his vision becoming blurred and dark. "Stay up. Stay up!" he told himself.

"_Do it now!_"

The machines around him suddenly emmited more electricity, creating a cascade of sparks. Estu collapsed to the ground as pain suddenly radiated throughout his body. _Wha- What's going._..

_"You alone are special."_

_"Help him or I'm done with all of this. I don't care what you think... I just care about him. ...Don't shake your head at me, I'm being completely serious!"_

_"...You're... a rival? I'm sorry, I didn't realize."_

_"Tine... please don't hate me."_

A flash of images, some familiar, some new... Nero, Argento, Weiss, Ace... _Me? ...No... no._

Estu shook his head, trying to keep focus. He felt disconected from reality.

_"Just... don't die on me. You're all I've got."_

_"You haven't got a friend in the world, do you kid?"_

_"You did this on purpose didn't you!?"_

_"No! Wait... I didn't... I didn't think this would happen!"_

_"I'm sorry."_

_Why am I sorry? ...Who am I_... He felt as though his thoughts were coated in oil, slipping away from him. _Who... am.._. He looked down at a sword lying on the ground near him.

"_You'll need to get a real sword in a few years."_

_"No, this is perfect. Don't you think, Dad?"_

_"Do you like it?"_

_"It's a good little sword. Hey! Can me and Ami practice a real fight when we get home?"_

_"I don't think you want to fight a gun user, Estu."_

_"Oh... right... me and you, then?"_

_"Ha, we'll see..."_

"Dad... Ami?" he whispered, staring at the sword. "...Estu. I'm Estu... I'm Estu!" he yelled, trying to stand up. _What am I doing? ...Have to keep them back... Vincent._

Another tremor shook the ground, but this time, bits of earth fell from the floor, dropping what could have been hundreds of feet. _Focus_, he told himself. Another flood of memories rushed into his mind, all of them far too jumbled to tell what was going on. _Estu... I am Estu... I am Estu..._ he repeated the phrase, over and over, as he slowly made his way towards Nero's body, sword raised. He plunged it through the shell's chest, knocking it back. Another tremor and the floor dropped from underneath him, sending them both falling. He felt himself hit a rock wall, slide down it, rolling to a stop just on the edge of a small cliff. Below him, a loud crash echoed throughout the cavern as Nero's body hit the ground. Above him, a cascade of sparks lit up the ceiling. He stared up at it, dazed, his mind muddled with the odd rush of images. _I am... I... I don't know..._

His vision blurred at the warm drip of blood flowed from his hand and shoulder. He heard voices echoing through the cavern, growing closer.

"The hell is this?"

"Weird machines..."

"Hey! Vincent!? Estu!?"

"Sir, look at this hole in the ground."

"Yeah... whoa! He's down there, someone help me get him."

Moments later, he felt an odd pull... whispering voices in his head... "Estu?" a voice asked. "Hold on, you're alright. Let's get you out of here... Jarim, pull us up!"

"Right, Lieutenant Kunsel!"

He felt himself being pulled up, but couldn't understand how. Nothing made sense to him. Just as he found himself outside the hole in the earth everything faded to black and he knew no more.

* * *

><p>Vincent flew through the air, diving and streamlining himself to reach the bottom of the crater. Omega rested at the bottom, still gathering the bits of lifestream around it. Vincent shot at it several times on the way down, but it seemed oblivious. The WEAPON was focused solely on its work, paying no mind to Vincent.<p>

_How do I fight something like this?_

He touched lightly onto the ground, staring up at the massive WEAPON before him. He fired another few shots at it, with just as little success. It seemed to ignore him, turning away. The sight filled him with rage. He felt his limbs shaking as golden light flashed from his eyes. _No... stay in control._ He tried taking a breath to calm himself, but noticed strange tendrils of darkness emanating from the ground around him. Vincent's eyes widened as he looked at them. It seemed as the more he focused on their shape, the darker and more solid they would grow.

He bore his teeth in a devilish grin. _Well, let's try this._ He lifted an arm forward, sending them flying towards Omega. They knocked the WEAPON back slightly. It turned towards him, seeming to notice Vincent for the first time. It thrashed towards him, sending a rush of lifestream his way.

The lifestream collided with him, knocking him back and sending echoes of whispers through his mind.

_Vincent... I'm so sorry..._

He stiffened, then stared ahead, arm lifting to command more of the dark tendrils. They raked at Omega's sides and the WEAPON lifted a large limb, knocking Vincent aside. He barely felt the blow, flipping midair, flapping his wings to slow himself down and landing on his feet. Omega seemed to be slightly worn down from the shadows. Vincent took a breath. Now or never...

He poured every ounce of his energy into manipulating the shadows, sending a sea of dark energy towards Omega. It staggered backwards, seemingly immobile. Another rush of energy from Vincent had the lifestream around it disapate, sinking back into the earth. He was begginign to tire, but sent another wave of energy towards it, sending Omega to the ground.

His breathing labored, Vincent held up his gun to take one last shot at it. The WEAPON burst into tendrils of green light. Vincent watched them for a moment, then slowly walked forward. Each step dragged as though he was moving through water, until finally, he fell forward into the deepest part of the crater.

* * *

><p><em>Nero sat outside a hospital room. He swallowed his fear as he waited for his brother to return. Perhaps Ace had been right... there was absolutely nothing he could do.<em>

_He felt trapped... His options were so limited._

_"I'm done. I'm leaving."_

_He wanted to say that...But he couldn't. Not with Tine still needing his father's care. And he didn't think for a second that Weiss would hesitate to hurt him._

_If I have to live this life... I'll do it how I damn well please._

_I'll just... do what I can. I'll keep moving._

"Estu?"

_I will. I need to. I'll keep going no matter what._

"Kid, are you okay?"

"I... I need to keep going," he murmured, still dazed.

"Kid... you know where you are?"

_Where am I... Who am I?_

"Estu?"

_Estu... Is that me? I thought I'm_..._OH GODS!_ He bolted up, looking first at his hands, eyes tracing over the few thin scars he found so familiar, his right hand was bound up in gauze, though a dark red spot was visible at the center. He reached under his hat, looking at one of the longer strands of hair. _Silver_... he let out a sigh. He'd never been so relieved to see the color in his life.

"What the hell are you doing?" He looked up to find Ace, pilot's goggles still strapped to his head.

"Making sure I'm not..." He trailed off, shivering at the thought of what could have happened. He held himself, still trying to calm down. "So, how'd I get here?" Estu asked after a while, looking around him. He sat on one of many cots, several other people in various states of health surrounded him. "Are we back outside Edge? ...How'd I get all the way back to the medic camp?"

Ace tilted his head back towards Kunsel and a small band of WRO soldiers. "Dragged you out of some hell hole, patched you up best they could there and brought you back here for magic healing. Think you can thank your little friend there for that."

"Marlene?" he asked, looking around for her.

"She's out cold... there were a lot of people injured. Put the poor girl to work," Ace said, leaning slightly. "Your sister's helping out in the other medic camp... like I said, there were a lot of people hurt."

"So... did we win?" Estu asked.

"No, we're just sitting here, relaxing and having a conversation for the hell of it while we wait for Deepground to kill the rest of us off."

"...So that's a yes, then?"

Ace chuckled. "You really are dense sometimes."

"You're dense..." He tried standing but winced as his muscles protested against the movement. "I can't believe I got out of that... I thought for sure I'd... I was just going to hold him off so Vincent..." He paused, looking back towards the city. "Where's Vincent? Is he okay?"

"Haven't heard from him yet... they're still trying to find everyone."

"But he was there with me, and Tine... Argento was holding off Deepground forces so we could get in. Did you guys find him? How is he?"

An unreadable expression passed over Ace's features. "Estu, he..." The pilot looked into the distance as he trailed off.

"He... what?" Estu asked. "Look, I know you always said that I... Nero was an idiot for caring so much about him, but... I need to make sure he's alright. He came back over to our side at the end you know."

"...I heard."

His tone worried him. "WRO's holding him captive aren't they?" he asked. Ace's frown deepened. "Listen, I need to talk to Kunsel and explain, see he-"

"He's dead, Estu."

The words hit him like a ton of bricks. "Dead?" he repeated quietly. Ace couldn't really mean that...

"Kunsel and his people found him... beaten to a bloody mess. He held off a lot, but in the end it was just too much for him. ...I'm sorry."

Estu shook his head. "No, he can't be... He's not dead. He's tougher than that. Just... help me up so I can see him!"

"Already faded into the lifestream... aparently it was something to see, with all the mako he took in over his life. Estu... I'm sorry. I know you feel like... like he's ... kid, please don't cry."

"I'm not," he said, voice shaking. He angrily wiped the tears from his eyes. "Ace... he can't be..."

"Your sister stayed with him. ...She told me to give you this." Ace held out his hand, dropping a tiny, twisted, silver object into Estu's lap.

He picked it up to examine. It only took a moment to recognize it - a small but complex metal puzzle. "Nero gave this to him fifteen years ago."

"Yeah," Ace said.

"We were... you and him were leaving for a mission in Mideel. He said he'd solve it in a week. He said by the time he gave it back he'd... he'd be able to give it back when he was okay."

"...So you remember that?"

"Yes... barely," Estu whispered.

Ace sighed. "So you know what this means, right?" Estu shook his head, still holding the metal puzzle. "It means... It means he was fine. He forgave you. He was at peace."

"He... was okay. He'd already accepted his death," Estu said. He looked at the puzzle in his shaking hands, his vision blurred through tears. "I just... I barely knew him... why am I so upset?"

"...I'm sorry."

Estu nodded slightly, unable to find words. He clutched the puzzle to his chest as he lied still and waited for any more news to come.

* * *

><p>"Well hello again."<p>

Vincent opened his eyes, looking up at the bright blue sky. He felt the brush of fingers accross his cheek and turned to find Aerith sitting near him in the flower field. It was a familiar scene, but something felt different. He couldn't explain why, but something seemed off and strange. "Am... I dead?"

Aerith shook her head. "No. You'll live." She smiled slightly. "The planet tells me you did well... are you happy, Vincent?"

"Not really," he said, propping himself up. He glanced down at his hands... normal, without Chaos's talons or the familiar weight of a bronze gauntlet. "Something feels wrong..." An inhuman roar echoed across the field. Vincent quickly jumped up, stepping in front of Aerith. He reached for his gun out of habit, but soon realized it wasn't with him.

"Don't worry. It'll be okay," Aerith said soothingly. "Chaos? I think you should settle down."

"Chaos?" Vincent asked, looking around for him. A large dark shadow, only vaguely humanoid in shape, tried reaching up out of the earth, only to fall feebly back down. "Is that... him?"

"Well, _it_ would probably be a better word," Aerith said. "But... it seems as though Chaos expended too much of it's energy trying to neutralize Omega. It'll need to sleep for now."

Vincent blinked in surprise. "You mean... so am I..." _Normal?_ He scoffed at the idea. He would never be normal again. "Alone?" he eventually asked.

"The other three are still with you... and... Vincent, even if Chaos remains here... you're still attatched to him."

"I see," he said. "Well... I've had him this long."

"I'm sorry... It's a tough burden to bear. If I could help you..."

"It's the least I can do to...repent."

"You don't think you've done enough of that already?" she asked, a playful smile on her lips.

"Perhaps I... have. I'm not sure anymore," he admitted.

"Well, they need you in the present, Vincent. Think you could manage that?" she asked. "That would be a good way to make amends if you still feel you need to."

"I've never really thought of it that way."

She sighed, "Same old Vincent."

"Of course. ...So now what?" he asked.

"Why are you asking me? It's your life."

She gave one last smile and turned away. The swaying grass and flowers and sky dissolved into white.

Vincent found himself at the bottom of a crater. He slowly sat up, trying to ignore how sore he felt. Curious, he looked at his hands - one with a black finger-less glove, one with the familiar gauntlet. So he was still alive. He was back to himself. He sighed heavily as he stood up, brushing gravel off his jacket.

Across the crater, Weiss lied still. Vincent immediately drew his gun and shot again, several times, not really caring whether the man had been living or dead. He wanted to make sure. The last shot rang out across the silent crater, reminding Vincent of how alone he was. He looked up to where he and Omega had fallen from.

_How do I get back up?_

The thought seemed to be answered by a slight scratching noise from above. Vincent waited, watching the ceiling until someone looked over the hole in the ceiling, manically waving their arms. "I found him! He's here!" Yuffie shouted. "Vinnie! Can you hear me!?"

He honestly wasn't sure if his voice would carry well enough to reach her if he answered.

"Hang on, I'll get rope! We'll get you up!"

_Well this could take a while..._

Two hours and a few hundred feet of rope later, five very weary friends pulled him up and out of the crater. Vincent looked over to Nanaki, who licked at an injured paw as his tail flicked back and forth. Tifa and Cloud leaned against the tunnel wall, getting a bit of rest before they started the journey out. Cid toyed with a cigarette and lighter, though at Nanaki's request didn't smoke in the dark and narrow tunnel. Yuffie seemed the best off, still eager to get out of the caverns of Deepground.

"C'mon, we need to get back up top so everyone knows we're okay!" she pointed out.

"Yuffie, if you'll please be patient, we'll leave shortly," Nanaki said, stretching his limbs.

She sighed, but waited for the rest of them to get up. Vincent walked beside her as they made their way our. "Everything alright, Vinnie? You haven't said much."

"No..." he agreed. He supposed there wasn't much to say. His mind already raced ahead, wondering what the cost of the battle had been, how they were to deal with the few remnants of Deepground, how they would approach the aftermath.

"Well... Oh! Light!" she said, excited. As they finally reached the entrance to the underground facility, Vincent noticed an odd humming in the air, the electric feel of mako swirling around the air. He stepped through the mess of Weiss's house, following the others outside.

Swirls of lifestream danced in the air around them, casting the abandoned street in a green glow. "It's... almost beautiful," Tifa said. Cloud nodded, the lights casting a green glow off his blue eyes.

"Well that's pretty shits nice an' all, but we've got a shit ton of work to do. Place is a mess," Cid said, killing the wonder a bit.

"Perhaps he's right..." Nanaki agreed, looking up at a falling bit of green. "But for now... well, life moves on, I suppose." The beast led the way through the uneven rubble, creating a streak of orange with his tail and providing a stark contrast to the surrounding green.

Tiny motes of lifestream fell from over head as they made their way back to Edge. Vincent could have sworn that as he left the scene he heard a slight whisper in his ear... though what it said to him he honestly didn't know.

* * *

><p><strong>Epilogue<strong>

* * *

><p>"Hey, come on, we need to get going!"<p>

Estu opened his eyes, glancing out the apartment window at the bright morning sun. _ Edge, _he reminded himself as he stood up and looked around the minuscule room. Ami stood nearby, in the small adjacent kitchen. She gave a warm smile which he quickly returned. "So... Another new day," he said.

Ami nodded. "Yeah. Do you have everything packed?" Estu looked back at a suitcase, containing everything he owned. "Guess so, huh? ...I'll miss them, too, you know."

Estu shook his head. "We've been here way too long." Nearly eight months spent helping get the city back to normal. It had been the longest he'd ever stayed in one place. Still, part of him _would_ miss Edge... and the people who lived there, who'd helped him find a bit of meaning in his life...

Tony and the Walker family had left nearly a month before. It was odd and a bit sad, parting with Ace and Walter. In the months after final battle he'd grown attached to both of them. Walter felt like a kindred soul; Ace, a very old friend... which Estu supposed he was, in a way. The day before they left, Ace had reminiced about a few good times he'd had with Nero. Estu didn't remember all of it, but pretended to for the pilot's sake. Walter had spoken of some idea he had, telling Estu he'd send details later. He didn't understand completely what the teen did tell him, but accepted his mail address either way. Tony had left without saying a word to him, but the look Estu had seen in the young man's indigo eyes worried him.

But he supposed it hardly mattered then. He'd be going his own way soon enough. "But... we'll see them one more time, right?"

"Right," she said, braiding her hair back. "So... breakfast?"

"Maybe later," he said nervously. Estu reached for his hat, sitting atop a nearby dresser. He paused, clenching his fist slightly. "I think... I think I'll just leave this here."

"You sure?" she asked.

"Yeah," Estu walked over to a mirror, bracing himself slightly before taking a look. Inky black hair fell over his eyebrows. He pushed it to the sides so he could see. "...It doesn't look stupid, does it?"

"You've asked that like twenty times." He shrugged, trying to smooth his bangs down. "C'mon, just hurry and get dressed so we can go."

He dressed quickly, then walked over to his suitcase, slipping his hand inside and retrieving the twisted metal puzzle tied onto a string, and slipped the fashioned necklace over his head. Ami looked as though she was growing impatient, so he took his sword in one hand, his suitcase in the other and followed her, not speaking another word until he and his sister stood side by side in the apartment's elevator, waiting to leave for the last time.

* * *

><p>Edge was a far cry from the bustling metropolis of Midgar. In truth, it looked more like the slums that stood beneath the city. Buildings cobbled together, small hardy plants growing here and there... but after close to a year, Edge city shone with something at once solid and symbolic. The people of Edge were, and had always been, the survivors. And even after all the destruction that had wrecked the city under Deepground's rule, it stood once more. It didn't have the tallest buildings, the cleanest streets, the most people, or even the quaint charm of Kalm. Edge, however, did have the indomitable spirit that was evident in every recycled brick and every passing person.<p>

Vincent inhaled deeply as he looked across the wastes to what remained of Midgar. The summer sun glinted off the remains of glass and steel, giving the ruined city an almost mystical look. Though at least the bits of lifestream had receded back into the earth.

It had been nearly eight months since the Omega incident. He along with the others had done their part to rebuild what had fallen in Edge and reestablish a bit of order.

Ironic how Chaos enabled life and peace...

"Vincent?" He looked away from the city, back to the small gathering before him. Tseng stepped forward, briefly tilting his head back towards the group behind him. Nonverbal signals, useful for Turk missions, not so much as the new Director of the WRO and the sub-branch dedicated to technological advances, quickly dubbed the Tuesti Institute.

Vincent quickly took a place beside Tifa and Cloud. Tifa looked up, giving a slight smile. "Come on, Vince. Lighten up, this is a big day."

"I know," he said. "I just wish they could have been here."

"...I do too," she admitted.

He felt a small hand grip his. Vincent glanced down at Marlene trying to look past the much taller adults. Vincent picked her up, setting her on a shoulder. "There, now you're taller than everyone."

"Thanks," she said, looking at the towering structures, each covered in a sheet, that were the center of everyone's attention. "So... the idea was from a leaf?"

"Believe it or not, yes."

"All right everyone! I'm here! We can start!" the loud call, he knew, was Yuffie's. He turned back towards her, Marlene holding his hair to keep her ballence. "Well, long time no see, Vinnie," she grinned. "Can we start now, Tseng? I need to get back to Wutai."

"So soon?" Tseng asked. "You know, most people who had to travel are at least staying a few days, make the trip worth it."

"You saying this isn't worth it on its own? Jeez, you should feel bad."

"I didn't say that," Tseng said, annoyed.

"Oh sure, sure... I am staying a few days though, by the way, thanks for asking." The former Turk's exasperated expression got a slight laugh from Vincent. "Did anyone hear that!?" Yuffie asked quickly. "He laughed! Really! ...Anyone hear that? ...Dammit, I really want to win that bet."

"Oh so you admit it then?" Vincent asked dryly.

"...Nope."

He shook his head, looking across the group at Cid, Sherra, and the recently christened Barret Winston Highwind. Though at the moment, the most visible in the bundle of blankets Sherra had wrapped him in were a pair of grey-blue eyes and a tuft of light brown hair. Cid, despite fretting about the child for months had taken the role of a father on quite well. He'd always been a bit of a father towards the younger members of AVALANCHE anyway. Though he twitched slightly, hand occasionally reaching for the pack of cigarettes strapped into his goggles. Winston's, Vincent noticed. Sherra had realized that about an hour too late. "Well I was tellin' the truth. They're like an old friend," Cid had tried justifying the name choice.

"Hey, we're here, sorry we're late!" Ami said, quickly going over to a few of the WRO troops she'd befriended. Estu, meanwhile, hung back slightly, looking at the group of people nervously.

"You're actually a little early," Kunsel pointed out, checking the time on his phone. The emblem of the WRO reflected light off the new helmet he wore. After the battle of Midgar and Edge, Tseng had quickly requested he stick around. They could use someone like a former SOLDIER in the WRO peace keeping troops. He'd accepted the offer without a second thought. As Kunsel pointed out, he didn't have much to go back to... but a lot to stay for. He stood near Cissnei, holding her hand in his. "You sure you're leaving after this? Tseng and I could find you work here... WRO? Maybe the Turks?"

"The Turks would be happy to have you," Cissnei agreed.

Ami shook her head. "I'm sorry, but I'll have to say no. I really need to get back home. And... I'm a little tired of fighting for now."

"Well, if you ever change your mind..." Kunsel trailed off. "You or Estu... though I don't think Tseng will let him in yet."

Estu meanwhile, briefly looked up to acknowledge he'd heard. He moved a bit cautiously towards Marlene and Vincent, keeping his eyes low, avoiding Cloud and Tifa. Marlene leapt down from Vincent's shoulders to greet him.

"So... you and Ami are leaving after this?" she asked.

Estu nodded, glancing back at the two suitcases they'd left a bit further back. "All packed and everything. ...Costa del Sol. I never really liked it much, to be honest. But I guess it's just as much 'home' as anywhere else."

"Hm... yeah but-"

"It looks like they're getting started," Vincent said, cutting her off. Marlene nodded and climbed back up, eyes wide as she watched Tseng stand in front of one of the covered structures.

Tseng paced, looking at the crowd before getting speaking. "It was nearly a year ago that a man by the name of Barret Wallace presented a brilliant idea to Director Tuesti. Of course... the events of that day kept his idea from being implemented... until today." With a signal of his hand, the covers flew off revealing several large wind turbines. It didn't take long for the gusts of wind to get them moving.

"The wind out here is strong since there aren't any trees to stop it... but by harnessing it, taking a flaw and making it a strength we can create something grand. Thus, the wind forest, dedicated to Barret Wallace and those who lost their lives in order to make our world a better place."

Vincent noticed Marlene's grip on a tiny medal tighten. "He'd be so proud of you," he whispered.

"Thanks."

"And now, with these few turbines we'll start by powering the WRO, then move on to the rest of Edge. Within five years, our city will be the first in the world powered exclusively by the wind..." Tseng trailed off, looking back at Midgar, looming in the distance. "And as we heal from our losses from the battle with Deepground... so will the planet. ...Thank you." Tseng's closing words were met with some applause and the crowd began to disperse. In addition to starting the first batch of turbines, that day marked the end of the rebuilding process in Edge. Those who came from around the world to help it would be returning to their homes soon.

"Hell yeah, he'd be happy. I knew the guy, he'd be #$%^in' ecstatic!"

"Cid! Barret is going to copy you if you don't knock that off!" Shera said.

Cid ruffled the child's hair. "Shera, he can't understand nuthin' yet. Ain't that right?" he asked the baby. Barret Winston replied with a gurgling noise, leaving Cid grinning at him and Shera.

"...He might copy you," Shera said quietly.

"Alright, alright, I won't cuss in front of the kid."

"He's been saying that about Marlene and Denzel for years now," Cloud said, passing by.

"Ey! Spiky, what do you know bout that?"

"Noticed the other day when he dropped a brick on his foot... Denzel's picked up some interesting words. Don't tell Tifa," Cloud replied quietly. Cid snorted at that.

As Cloud, Tifa, and Denzel walked away from the site, Marlene paused, looking after them. "Uncle Vincent, where are you heading now?"

He crossed his arms, thinking it over. He wasn't tied to the town. His friends would be scattering again. There were still a few things he needed to understand about Chaos... and the other demons, the ones closer to his heart. But... "For now... Home, I think. Tomorrow... well, who knows," he replied.

"Home? Didn't your apartment get destroyed?" she asked. It was indeed one of the few buildings that still needed to be rebuilt. He'd been sleeping on a lot of rooftops since the last battle.

"You know, you've always got a place with us," Tifa said.

"No, I'll just..." Vincent hesitated for a moment, looking back at the wind turbines. How fast one's world could shift, rearange and change, loved ones passing and going while he stood still... "...Would I be able to stay a few days while I get everything settled here again?" he asked.

"Course," Cloud said. "Anyway, me and Denzel could use some help with the delivery business in the mean time." The boy at Cloud's shoulder adjusted the pair of goggles still strapped to his head.

"Thank you," Vincent said.

"Well let's get going then," Cloud said, turning back.

Vincent glanced around at Estu, standing alone, watching the wind turbine with some fascination "I just need to take care of a few things. I'll meet you three later?"

A slight expression of annoyance passed over Cloud's features. "Well... Marlene?"

"Can I just go back when Vincent does?" she asked.

Cloud hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah, that's fine... Vince, just bring her back to the bar, all right?"

"I will," he said as they left.

* * *

><p><em>They were able to make these effective because there aren't trees... <em>Estu watched the spinning blades of the turbine._ They took what they had and made the best of it. ...I guess that's what I need to do. _

"So, this is it, then," Vincent's deep voice pulled him away from his thoughts.

"Guess so," he replied. "Um... Listen, I... I just wanted to thank you. For everything."

Vincent shook his head. "No need. But I do hope you won't give your sister too hard a time."

"Well it'll be weird, staying in one place. Especially after so long. But I think it'll be... better, almost. Like having a real family again." He looked down. "I never was good at saying goodbye," Estu admitted.

"...Then don't," Vincent said.

Estu glanced up at him. He looked, as always, completely serious. "All right then, I won't."

"Well, I will," Marlene said, crossing her arms. Estu couldn't help but smile. "Anyway, don't think you're getting away that easily."

"...I have to go, you know that, right?"

"I know, which is why I made this," Marlene pulled a notecard from her pocket. On it, a tiny drawing of himself spoke on a telephone. Several numbers were scrawled on the sides. "You better not lose these. I know where Ami lives so I'll mail you another one if you don't call sometimes."

"So you're threatening to... send me mail?"

"Well you changed your hair on me," she pointed out. "That's all I've got. Anyway," she stood jumped up and gave one of the strands a slight tug, earning a glare from Estu. "Anyway, that's black and this is mail... so same thing right? You got mad at me when you said I was blackmailing you before."

"I'll be sure to call, then," he said, slipping the card into his pocket. He stood still for a moment then looked back at Ami, watching and waiting for him to go with her. "Well... I guess I should leave. I... _Hey_!" Marlene wrapped her arms around him, holding on. "Marlene, let go! I swear I've told you this! Let go already!"

"I'll miss you."

Estu opened his mouth to protest again, but instead, very awkwardly, very hesitantly, he returned the hug. She eventually let go, sniffling slightly. "It'll be okay... I mean I'm just... just a kid you met at a tough time." But maybe that had made all the difference. For both of them.

"Come on, we shouldn't keep Cloud and them waiting too long," Vincent said.

"Okay... Goodbye, Estu." He swallowed, watching as they turned and walked away. After a few yards, Vincent briefly turned back.

"You take care of yourself."

"You too," he replied.

Vincent ducked his head down, lips slightly upturned as he and Marlene walked away from the wind forest. He watched them, the two people who'd done so much to help him. He wondered if they even realized. _I won't forget. _

It was noon in Edge. And as the group parted ways they looked forward to the next day, a day anew, the start of another journey in their lives.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Thank you so much for reading.**


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